University researchers found large numbers of deceptive “software” ads (including scareware) running through Google’s ad system, generating over 100 million impressions in Europe. They reported some ads via Google’s “Report this ad” flow, but several ads were acknowledged as policy violations and still stayed live, including multiple ads linked to the same malicious domain.
Researchers mined Google's Ads Transparency Center and identified deceptive software ads at scale, including 238 scareware ads and 3,346 ads making false claims. The flagged ads collectively received well over 100 million ad impressions in Europe alone. The scareware examples used alarming device-infection or storage warnings, such as claims that a phone had been damaged by dozens of viruses, designed to pressure users into clicking or installing a supposed fix. Other ads promised impossible services, like recovering photos deleted years ago or letting a stranger track anyone's phone location just by entering a number. A third category used minimal-content creatives, such as a bare button reading Continue or an unexplained QR code, to obscure who was behind the ad and where it would lead.
These ads worked because they exploited trust in a major, widely used advertising platform. Landing pages were linked to malicious domains flagged by multiple protective DNS services, including one associated with the TamperedChef malware campaign. Even after researchers reported ads through Google's Report this ad flow, some were removed, but others were acknowledged as violations and stayed live anyway. Removing a single ad also did not stop the broader campaign: other ads pointing at the same domain kept running, meaning users remained exposed even after individual complaints were resolved.
Treat alarming device warnings delivered via ads as suspicious and close the page rather than clicking through; use trusted device settings or app store tools to check for real issues. Be skeptical of any ad promising impossible capabilities, and avoid entering personal data such as phone numbers into unfamiliar landing pages. Do not assume that a platform's ad reporting and removal process fully protects users, since a reported ad or its underlying domain may keep running. Finally, be cautious of ads that hide who is behind them, since a lack of clear company or product information is itself a red flag worth treating as a signal to disengage.
Mirage safely runs attacks like this one against your own team, so you find out what happens before a real adversary does.
Scareware ads use alarming device-infection or storage warnings, such as claims a phone has been damaged by dozens of viruses, to pressure users into clicking or installing something.
Not always. Researchers found that reporting a bad ad to Google doesn't mean the ad, or the domain behind it, stops running, and some ads were acknowledged as violations but stayed live anyway.
Some ads promised to recover photos deleted years ago or let a stranger track anyone's phone location just by entering a number, while others used bare 'Continue' buttons or QR codes to hide who was behind the ad.
Researchers found that flagged ads, including 238 scareware ads and 3,346 ads making false claims, collectively received well over 100 million ad impressions in Europe alone.
You’re scrolling a news site and a banner screams, “Your phone has been severely damaged by 33 types of viruses.” Researchers found hundreds of these scareware ads running through Google’s main ad system, over 100 million impressions, even after some were reported and confirmed as policy violations. Some ads push fake virus fixes. Others promise to recover photos deleted years ago or track anyone’s phone just by entering a number. Behind them: malicious domains and long‑running scam campaigns. If a web ad claims your device is infected or offers impossible tracking, don’t click it, close the page and use your phone’s own security or app store tools instead.
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