Fake ChatGPT scam spreads malware through Google sponsored search links

On October 3, 2026, ZDNet reported that a scam impersonating ChatGPT is being spread through sponsored Google search results. Users who click the sponsored links are led to download and install malware, according to the report. The pages involved look highly authentic, which ZDNet said makes it easy for people to let their guard down. The report described the scheme as beginning with a sponsored Google link and catching users off-guard. ZDNet also said it provided ways to identify this kind of trap, though the specific methods were not detailed in the material available. As of that report, the matter remains at the stage of ZDNet's disclosure of the technique and its warning to users; the material does not mention how many people were affected, who is behind the campaign, or when it first appeared.