Scam Tactics That Make Search Results Show “This Is Not a Scam,” Tokyo Metropolitan Police Warn; AI Summaries Also Targeted

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police confirmed that an SNS-based investment scam group was manipulating search results to make its scheme appear legitimate.

The tactic, known as SEO poisoning or search-result contamination, can also affect site search and AI-generated summaries.

Authorities warned users not to trust search results or AI overviews at face value when evaluating suspicious investment offers.

If false information dominates search visibility, victims may be less likely to spot fraud, increasing the risk of wider harm.