Bottom line: A recent warning from Malwarebytes explains that users searching for tech support phone numbers can encounter fake contact information, even when visiting the official websites of major brands. Users should carefully examine text appearing in support site search bars and approach sponsored Google search results with caution, if at all.

Many people likely understand that they should verify URLs when visiting sites for banks, tech companies, and other critical services to avoid fraudulent links. While steering clear of links in suspicious emails is a well-known security precaution, hackers also frequently purchase sponsored Google ads that lead to fake websites designed to steal personal information.

However, the latest scam is even sneakier. Instead of creating fake websites, scammers inject false tech support numbers into legitimate sites by modifying parameters in sponsored search links. Search engines don’t display the added text in the URLs, and official support pages don’t block it, making the scam appear more convincing.

The scheme begins when users search Google for tech support numbers for major brands. Clicking on a top sponsored result leads to an actual support page, but the scammer’s phone number appears in the site’s search bar.

Unsuspecting users who call the number, thinking they’ve reached the company’s call center, are instead connected to scammers attempting to steal account credentials or banking information. Malwarebytes reports that attackers have targeted support pages for Netflix, PayPal, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Bank of America, and HP. These hijacked search results are hardest to spot on Apple’s website.

Malwarebytes says its Browser Guard extension can detect this tactic as a search hijack and warn users. Other red flags include phone numbers appearing at the end of legitimate URLs, excessive use of alarming language, encoded characters like “%20,” and search pages showing results before users enter a query.

To stay safe, users should look up support numbers in previously verified communications, such as past emails or direct messages from the company, and compare them with current search results. If a support representative asks for personal or banking information unrelated to the issue, hang up immediately.

Manually navigating to a company’s website and accessing the support section (without relying on search engines) can also help avoid hijacked sponsored links. Verified links can often be found in trusted communications or on the company’s official social media profiles and Wikipedia page.

In brief: Just when you think Amazon couldn’t possibly find another way to sell you stuff, the company comes up with something else: shopping links embeded in your photo library images. In essence, the feature lets you identify an item within a photograph in your Amazon Photos library and be directed to its store page.

Former Microsoft executive Panos Panay, now senior vice president of Amazon’s Devices and Services division, announced the update to Amazon Photos on Threads.

Panay’s post included a clip demonstrating the upgraded features. It starts with a generative AI search using a natural language query – “Max playing with robot dog,” in this case. This brings up several images in the user’s Amazon Photos library featuring the boy and the device.

The system works by selecting one of the images and then tapping the Lens icon underneath. This scans the photo and brings up Amazon store listings for visually similar items it identifies, such as the robot dog, allowing you to view its customer rating and price. From here, you can go directly to the store page for more information and to purchase an item – if desired.

Amazon says the feature is ideal for anyone who may have seen a product in an image and wanted one themselves, but didn’t know what it was called or where to find it.

Amazon’s help page doesn’t specifically say if turning off the Tag Photos feature will stop the shopping capabilities from working. Amazon’s Tag Photos and Tag Specific People tools use image recognition technology to analyze and apply tags to your photos and videos, allowing users to sort and search their photos by people, objects, actions, and scenes – as demonstrated by Panay.

There appear to be contradictory claims on how many people were asking for this new shopping feature, varying from everyone to virtually no one outside of Amazon. The replies to Panay’s post include some that are positive, with people noting its usefulness, along with negative ones arguing that this is basically product ads based on a user’s photos.