What is the Google Forms Email Scam
Google Forms Email Scam refers to phishing campaign using Google Forms to phish users’ details. This particular phishing campaign uses the typical spam email texts to trick users into providing their personal information. The way this phishing campaign works is you receive an email with a request to fill out a Google Form.
The email itself explains that you have been chosen by a millionaire to distribute millions of dollars to various charities because they are dying. There may be different versions of this scam but they’re more or less the same because they claim you have essentially been handed millions of dollars. The email asks that you fill in the provided Google Forms and provide your personal information, including full name, email, home address, and phone number. If you do fall for this phishing attempt, you’d be essentially providing your personal information to cyber criminals. They may also contact you to further scam you and try to get you to provide your bank details so they could steal your money.
This is a fairly typical spam email that was sent to you because your email address has been leaked or part of a data breach. You can check whether your email has been part of a breach on Have I Been Pwned. If it has, it’s not surprising that you are receiving spam. It would also not be surprising if you receive spam if you put in your email in questionable sites and create accounts for suspicious sites/apps. This is why it’s recommended to have a separate email address for unimportant/questionable accounts that are likely to either sell or leak your data.
The spam email invites users to be beneficiaries
This spam email campaign uses the oldest trick in the book, one every computer user is familiar with, which is why it’s unlikely that anyone will fall for this. The sender of the email introduces herself as the widow of millionaire who herself is ill with terminal cancer. Supposedly, she has chosen you to distribute the millions of dollars that have been left to her to various charities. According to the email, she is asking you, a complete stranger, because she cannot trust her own family as they are likely to keep the money to themselves. The email requests that you fill out the linked Google Form, which requests that you type in your full name, email address, hoe address and phone number. It goes without saying that this is personal information that you shouldn’t be giving away to random people on the internet, especially to people who are clearly out to scam you.
This is essentially another version of the classic Nigerian Prince email, but instead of asking users to transfer money, it’s asking you to provide your personal information. The information would later be used to perform further scams on you.
Google Forms Email Scam removal
If you haven’t opened any attachments, you can just delete the email. If you have provided scammers your personal information, be extra skeptical if you get unsolicited contact from unknown persons. Remember, no bank, or any other company, will ever ask you to provide your login credentials or authorization codes.