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Google Told To Pay Up

Written on
Nov 17, 2011 
Author
Sarah Novotny  |
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Google Told To Pay Up

ADOTASConsumer Watchdog has asked Google to donate the tainted revenue it obtained from deceptive ads that were intended to prey upon homeowners to non-profit groups that help consumers with credit problems, including homeowners seeking to avoid foreclosure. The mortgage modification scams were first revealed in a Consumer Watchdog report in February.

Consumer Watchdog called for the donation after the Office of the Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) announced it had shut down 85 online mortgage modification scams. SIGTARP has stated that in compliance with an ongoing criminal investigation, the search giant has suspended advertising with 500 clients.

John M. Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project, stated, “Google should never have published these ads, but its executives turned a blind eye to these fraudsters for far too long because of the substantial revenue such advertising generates. The company cannot be allowed to benefit from these ill-gotten gains. Google must donate the money to aid homeowners who were victimized because of its callous quest for profits.”

The report asks for a more diligent screening process as well as public service ads as intervention when finding such malicious advertising. Google was also asked to donate the profits made and told to be an example, since they are the leader in search online. As Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben said, “With great power, comes great responsibility.”





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