PETALING JAYA: Fake online advertisements which misuse of The Star brand is a direct assault on the trust its readers have placed on its reputation.
Star Media Group (SMG) senior general manager (technology) Kevin Seng (pic) said there have been repeated fake advertisements and websites designed to mimic The Star’s news portal as well as the unauthorised use of images belonging to public figures and celebrities.
“Critically, these ads exploit our trusted brand name to market illegitimate products. The harm is real, the public has been misled, and some have suffered financial losses.
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“Operationally, this has forced us to dedicate extra resources to monitor, investigate, and counter these website impersonations. Our efforts are often hampered because the hosting companies used for the fraudulent sites typically ignore website takedown requests,” he said, adding that lodging complaints with social media platforms has also proven ineffective.
Seng said the company had proactively used its platform to educate readers on how to verify the authenticity of its news portal.
On Wednesday, Google said it has introduced the financial services verification (FSV) for financial services advertisers targeting Malaysia to protect consumers against financial scams.
In a statement on Tuesday, Google said the FSV would add a new layer of security to the existing financial products and services policy by ensuring that only legitimate, licensed financial service providers can run ads on its platforms.
Commenting on FSV, Seng said the company lauded the necessary step as platform owners have a fundamental responsibility to ensure the integrity of their ecosystems.
This is given the high number of brand impersonations which SMG and other companies have continued to face.
He is calling on other ad networks and social media platforms to follow in Google’s footsteps to combat scams.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Cybersecurity Community rawSEC chairman Tahrizi Tahir said Google should have implemented the FSV earlier as it is a crucial step to protect vulnerable groups, including senior citizens from scams.
He said most users would assume that advertisements appearing on major online platforms have already been vetted.
“This can create a false sense of security, making users more likely to trust such ads. The reality is, scammers are willing to pay top dollar to boost their visibility on search engines,” he said.
Cybersecurity expert Fong Choong Fook expects the verification process to include some form of eKYC, requiring advertisers to submit proof of identity, such as an IC number, for Google to verify.
However, he said scammers would find ways to bypass the verification process.
“They may use fake identities, steal legitimate ones, or even purchase credentials from third parties. While there are many possible workarounds, this policy will make it significantly harder for them to appear on Google’s platform,” said Fong.
He added that the measure would tackle a key problem: the lack of control over who can advertise on certain online platforms.
“Without proper verification, there is little accountability, and some platforms seem indifferent to what their advertisers are promoting,” he said.
