A Coinbase user called customer support – but the Google ad was fake and he lost a fortune

News reports cite a number of examples of crooks purchasing ads on Google in order to fleece users, suggesting the company may have a systemic problem on its hands when it comes to crypto ads – which it largely banned for years before changing its policy last December. — Getty Images/The New York Times

The crypto market was heating up and Fred, who is in his 60s and lives in Connecticut, figured it was a good time to shift some of the positions he held in his Coinbase account.

After encountering some difficulties with the website, Fred decided to call the company.