🚨 SECURITY ALERT: The “Google Coin” AI Chatbot Presale Scam

Severity: Critical (AI-Driven Impersonation & Financial Fraud) Active Vector: Fake Presale Websites, Weaponized AI Chatbots, Manufactured Urgency Target Audience: Retail Crypto Investors, Web3 Beginners

Executive Summary

In February 2026, threat intelligence researchers exposed a highly sophisticated crypto presale scam promoting a completely fabricated asset called “Google Coin.”

What makes this attack exceptionally dangerous is the attackers’ use of a custom-built AI chatbot that flawlessly impersonates Google’s official “Gemini” assistant. This bot does not just answer questions; it is programmed with a high-pressure sales script designed to project massive fake financial returns, build false trust, and ultimately trick victims into sending irreversible Bitcoin payments for tokens that do not exist.

The Anatomy of the “Google Coin” Attack

Stage 1: The Polished Facade Attackers drive traffic to a flawlessly designed website mimicking Google’s exact visual identity. To borrow immediate credibility, the site features a fake “Trusted By Industry” banner displaying stolen logos from OpenAI, SpaceX, Binance, and Coinbase.

Stage 2: The AI “Closer” The core of the scam is the live chat feature. A bot identifying itself as “Gemini—your AI assistant for the Google Coin platform” engages the victim. If a user asks, “Will I get rich?”, the AI is programmed to provide specific, highly illegal financial projections (e.g., falsely claiming a $395 investment will turn into $2,755 at listing).

Stage 3: Manufactured Urgency The website aggressively pushes the victim to buy immediately, claiming the presale is in its final “Stage 5 of 5.” It also utilizes a tiered bonus trap, offering up to 30% “extra coins” if the victim deposits larger amounts of crypto.

Stage 4: The Fake Dashboard and Drain If a victim clicks buy, they are taken to a fake crypto dashboard showing fabricated balances on a non-existent network called “Google-Chain.” The user is instructed to send Bitcoin to a specific wallet address to claim their tokens. The payment is entirely irreversible, and the “Google Coins” are never delivered.

🛡️ ShieldGuard Preventive Education: AI Verification Protocols

To protect yourself from AI-driven presale scams, memorize these strict operational rules:

• Rule 1: AI Cannot Predict the Market: No legitimate investment product, protocol, or AI assistant will ever project specific future returns or guarantee a listing price. If a chatbot tells you your $300 will become $2,000, it is running a malicious script, not an analysis.
• Rule 2: Verify the Chain: “Google-Chain” does not exist. Always verify the underlying blockchain network of any token on legitimate, independent block explorers (like Etherscan or Solscan) before interacting with a presale.
• Rule 3: Look for the Corporate Disconnect: Google does not have a native cryptocurrency, and major tech titans like SpaceX and OpenAI do not co-sponsor random token presales. If a massive brand is supposedly launching a coin, it will be headline news on major financial networks (Bloomberg, CNBC), not quietly promoted via a random website chatbot.

AI is changing the way we build, but it is also changing the way scammers steal. Verify everything. – The ShieldGuard Security Team