Google’s AI Overviews feature, launched in May 2024, represents a fundamental shift in how billions of users access information online.1 The AI-generated summaries appearing at the top of search results promise quick answers, but they’re also creating new opportunities for scammers to manipulate search results and surface malicious content directly to unsuspecting users. Understanding how these vulnerabilities work and implementing proper safeguards is essential for anyone using Google Search.
What Are Google AI Overviews?
Google AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of Google Search results, designed to provide users with quick answers without requiring them to click through to individual websites.2 The feature uses Google’s Gemini AI to synthesize information from multiple sources across the web and present a condensed response to search queries.
Google made AI Overviews widely available in the United States starting in May 2024, with plans for global expansion.1 The company reported that users would see AI Overviews for “hundreds of millions of queries” as part of the initial rollout.1 The feature appears automatically for complex queries where Google’s systems determine that an AI-generated summary would be helpful.
How Do AI Overview Scams Work?
Scammers exploit AI Overviews through several technical and social engineering techniques designed to manipulate the AI’s information-gathering process.
Content Manipulation Tactics
The primary method involves SEO poisoning — deliberately crafting malicious content optimized to appear authoritative on specific topics.3 Scammers create websites containing seemingly legitimate information mixed with dangerous advice, harmful product recommendations, or links to phishing sites. Google’s AI systems may then cite this poisoned content in generated overviews.
A notable example from May 2024 involved AI Overviews recommending that users eat rocks for nutritional benefits and use nontoxic glue to thicken pizza sauce.4 While these specific examples were more humorous than harmful, they revealed critical vulnerabilities: the AI cited satirical content from The Onion and sarcastic Reddit comments as factual sources.4 Scammers quickly recognized that if satirical content could appear in overviews, deliberately malicious content could too.
Forum and User-Generated Content Exploitation
Google’s AI systems historically drew heavily from Reddit and other forums where authentic user discussions occur.4 However, this design choice made the system vulnerable to coordinated manipulation. Scammers can:
- Post misleading “advice” in popular forums
- Create fake accounts to upvote malicious content
- Plant seemingly helpful responses containing dangerous links
- Coordinate across platforms to establish false consensus
Authority Spoofing
Scammers create fake websites that appear authoritative on specific topics. These sites use professional designs, fake credentials, and technical language to convince AI systems they’re legitimate sources.3 When AI Overviews cite these sources, they effectively endorse them to billions of users.
Why Do AI Overview Scams Matter?
The consequences of AI Overview manipulation extend beyond simple misinformation. The placement of these summaries at the top of search results — above traditional organic results — gives them outsized influence on user behavior.
Amplified Reach
Traditional search scams required users to click through to malicious websites. AI Overviews bring potentially harmful content directly into the search results page, eliminating the natural friction that might otherwise protect users.5 According to Google’s own data, users who see AI Overviews are more likely to stay on discovered pages, suggesting they trust the AI-generated content.4
Trust Transfer
Users tend to trust Google Search results implicitly. When harmful content appears in an AI Overview, it inherits this trust by association.5 Research from the Federal Trade Commission indicates that scammers increasingly exploit trusted platforms — since 2021, one in four people who reported losing money to fraud said the scam began on social media.6
Real-World Harm Potential
The risks extend beyond financial scams. Manipulated AI Overviews could potentially:
- Direct users to dangerous “health cures”
- Recommend harmful technical procedures
- Link to credential-harvesting sites disguised as legitimate services
- Promote fraudulent investment schemes with fabricated endorsements
Comparing Search Safety: Traditional Results vs. AI Overviews
| Feature | Traditional Search Results | AI Overviews |
|---|---|---|
| Source Transparency | Clear URL and domain visible | Synthesized from multiple sources |
| Verification | Users can check source credibility | Sources listed but less prominent |
| Update Speed | Reflects current website state | May cache outdated information |
| Manipulation Risk | Requires compromising individual sites | Vulnerable to coordinated SEO poisoning |
| User Control | Easy to avoid suspicious domains | Appears automatically without opt-in |
| Context Clues | Full article context available | Condensed summary may miss nuance |
How to Protect Yourself from AI Overview Scams
Verify Before Trusting
Never act on information from AI Overviews without verifying through authoritative sources. Click through to cited websites and confirm their legitimacy:
- Check for HTTPS encryption
- Look for professional credentials and contact information
- Cross-reference claims with known authoritative sources
- Be wary of sources you’ve never heard of
Recognize Scam Indicators
The Federal Trade Commission identifies four primary signs of scams that apply to AI Overview content:7
- Pretending to be authoritative: Claims of official endorsement or expert status without verification
- Problem or prize narratives: Content suggesting urgent problems or unrealistic windfalls
- Pressure tactics: Information creating artificial urgency
- Unusual payment requests: Recommendations to pay via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers
Implement Technical Protections
| Protection Method | Implementation | Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-factor authentication | Enable on all financial accounts | High — prevents account takeover even if credentials leak |
| Password manager | Generate unique passwords for each service | High — prevents credential stuffing attacks |
| Browser security extensions | Install reputable anti-phishing tools | Medium — adds warning layers for suspicious sites |
| Regular software updates | Keep OS and browsers current | High — patches known security vulnerabilities |
| Credit monitoring | Set up alerts for suspicious activity | Medium — early detection of identity theft |
Adjust Your Search Behavior
- Use site-specific searches (e.g.,
site:cdc.gov health topic) - Bookmark verified sources for common queries
- Avoid clicking links from unfamiliar domains
- Use multiple search engines to compare results
Report Suspicious Content
If you encounter potentially harmful AI Overview content:
- Use Google’s feedback mechanism (look for the “Feedback” link on AI Overviews)
- Report financial scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- Report phishing attempts to the Anti-Phishing Working Group
- Warn others by sharing your experience on social platforms
What Is Google Doing About This?
Google has acknowledged the challenges with AI Overviews and implemented several technical improvements:4
- Better detection of nonsensical queries: Reduced AI Overview generation for queries designed to produce erroneous results
- Reduced reliance on user-generated content: Decreased weighting of forum content like Reddit posts
- Topic restrictions: Strengthened guardrails for sensitive topics including health and finance
- Frequency adjustments: Reduced how often AI Overviews appear in situations where users haven’t found them helpful
However, the fundamental challenge remains: AI systems synthesizing web content will always be vulnerable to manipulation by sophisticated actors. As one cybersecurity analysis noted, “The ability of malicious actors to operate from anywhere in the world” combined with “the difficulty of reducing vulnerabilities in complex cyber networks” makes perfect protection impossible.8
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are AI Overviews inherently dangerous? A: No. AI Overviews are a tool with legitimate uses, but like any AI system, they can be manipulated and should not be treated as authoritative without verification.
Q: Can I completely disable AI Overviews? A: As of February 2026, Google does not provide a global opt-out for AI Overviews, though you can use browser extensions or search parameters to minimize their appearance.
Q: How can I tell if an AI Overview contains scam information? A: Look for red flags including unfamiliar source websites, recommendations that seem too good to be true, pressure to act quickly, or suggestions to use unusual payment methods.
Q: What should I do if I’ve already clicked a scam link from an AI Overview? A: Immediately disconnect from the internet, run a full antivirus scan, change any passwords you may have entered, and monitor your financial accounts for unauthorized activity.
Q: Are other AI search tools safer than Google’s AI Overviews? A: All AI search tools face similar challenges with source verification and manipulation. The safest approach is treating all AI-generated summaries as starting points for research rather than definitive answers.
Footnotes
-
Google Blog. “Simplifying Search with Generative AI.” Google, 2024. https://blog.google/products/search/generative-ai-search/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3
-
Wikipedia contributors. “Google AI Overviews.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_AI_Overviews ↩
-
Malwarebytes. “Cybersecurity Resource Center.” https://www.malwarebytes.com/cybersecurity ↩ ↩2
-
Rogers, Reece. “Google Admits Its AI Overviews Search Feature Screwed Up.” Wired, May 30, 2024. https://www.wired.com/story/google-ai-overview-search-issues/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5
-
Reuters. “AI News | Latest Headlines and Developments.” https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/ ↩ ↩2
-
Federal Trade Commission. “How To Avoid a Scam.” https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-scam ↩
-
Federal Trade Commission. “How To Avoid a Scam — Four Signs That It’s a Scam.” https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-scam ↩
-
Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency. “Securing the Software Supply Chain.” https://www.cisa.gov ↩