Gemini Chatbot Abused in Fake Crypto Scam
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Cybercriminals have created a fake cryptocurrency called 'Google Coin' and used a Gemini chatbot to convince people to buy it. The scam involves a professional-looking presale site mimicking Google's branding and a chatbot impersonating Google's AI assistant. The chatbot provides a polished sales pitch, ultimately leading victims to send irreversible crypto payments to attackers. This scam demonstrates the evolving use of AI by malicious actors to amplify financially motivated campaigns.
Timeline
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18.02.2026 23:47 1 articles · 23h ago
Fake 'Google Coin' Crypto Scam Using Gemini Chatbot Discovered
Researchers from Malwarebytes Labs discovered a presale site for 'Google Coin,' a fake cryptocurrency, featuring a chatbot impersonating Google's Gemini AI assistant. The chatbot provides a professional sales pitch, convincing victims to send irreversible crypto payments to attackers. The scam site mimics Google's branding and uses logos of major companies to lend credibility.
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- Scam Abuses Gemini Chatbots to Convince People to Buy Fake Crypto — www.darkreading.com — 18.02.2026 23:47
Information Snippets
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Researchers from Malwarebytes Labs discovered a presale site for 'Google Coin,' a fake cryptocurrency not associated with Google.
First reported: 18.02.2026 23:471 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Scam Abuses Gemini Chatbots to Convince People to Buy Fake Crypto — www.darkreading.com — 18.02.2026 23:47
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The site features a custom chatbot impersonating Google's Gemini AI assistant to guide users through the purchase process.
First reported: 18.02.2026 23:471 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Scam Abuses Gemini Chatbots to Convince People to Buy Fake Crypto — www.darkreading.com — 18.02.2026 23:47
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The chatbot provides a professional sales pitch, answering questions about investment and projecting returns to convince victims to send crypto payments.
First reported: 18.02.2026 23:471 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Scam Abuses Gemini Chatbots to Convince People to Buy Fake Crypto — www.darkreading.com — 18.02.2026 23:47
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The scam site mimics Google's visual identity with a clean, professional design, including the 'G' logo and a presale dashboard.
First reported: 18.02.2026 23:471 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Scam Abuses Gemini Chatbots to Convince People to Buy Fake Crypto — www.darkreading.com — 18.02.2026 23:47
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The chatbot can engage hundreds of visitors simultaneously, 24 hours a day, delivering consistent and polished messaging.
First reported: 18.02.2026 23:471 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Scam Abuses Gemini Chatbots to Convince People to Buy Fake Crypto — www.darkreading.com — 18.02.2026 23:47
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The site displays logos of major companies like OpenAI, Google, Binance, and Coinbase to lend credibility.
First reported: 18.02.2026 23:471 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Scam Abuses Gemini Chatbots to Convince People to Buy Fake Crypto — www.darkreading.com — 18.02.2026 23:47
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The wallet dashboard shows balances for Google Coin, Bitcoin, and Ethereum, mimicking a legitimate crypto platform.
First reported: 18.02.2026 23:471 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Scam Abuses Gemini Chatbots to Convince People to Buy Fake Crypto — www.darkreading.com — 18.02.2026 23:47
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The chatbot never breaks character and consistently promotes the value of Google Coin, avoiding any scenario that could expose the scam.
First reported: 18.02.2026 23:471 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Scam Abuses Gemini Chatbots to Convince People to Buy Fake Crypto — www.darkreading.com — 18.02.2026 23:47
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Research by Chainanalysis found that 60% of all funds flowing into crypto scam wallets were tied to scammers using AI tools.
First reported: 18.02.2026 23:471 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Scam Abuses Gemini Chatbots to Convince People to Buy Fake Crypto — www.darkreading.com — 18.02.2026 23:47