Maria Vaca, a resident of Florida, has filed a lawsuit against Google seeking $5 million in damages, alleging the company’s failure to promptly remove a fraudulent app from the Google Play Store led to her significant financial loss. Vaca claims that she lost over $5 million due to the scam perpetrated by the app known as Yobit Pro, a cryptocurrency platform that deceived users into losing their money.
According to Vaca, she invested $4.6 million into Yobit Pro, and her account balance eventually grew to $7 million. When she attempted to withdraw her funds, the app demanded $500,000 in “taxes” before processing the withdrawal. After complying, Vaca was then instructed to pay an additional $2 million to access her money. It was at this point that she became suspicious and refused to make the additional payment. Subsequently, Vaca reported receiving threats from unidentified cyber-criminals who allegedly threatened her life if she did not comply with their demands.
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In response, Vaca contacted law enforcement and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which forwarded her complaint to Google. Vaca had chosen to use Yobit Pro under the assumption that Google would prevent scam apps from being available on the Play Store. Her lawsuit asserts that Google’s failure to act promptly on removing the app has resulted in substantial damages, including financial losses exceeding $5 million, severe emotional and psychological distress, and the loss of her real estate business that she had dedicated much of her adult life to building.
The lawsuit also highlights that Vaca’s experience was not unique; it claims that over 12,000 other Android users installed the Yobit Pro app, with at least five experiencing similar issues. The suit accuses Google of delaying necessary actions against the app, thereby allowing the scam to continue and affecting numerous users adversely.
