Google Hangouts is messaging, video chat, and VOIP features. It replaced three messaging products – Google Talk, Google+ Messenger and Hangouts.  Google has announced that it will be for replaced sometime in 2020.

Unfortunately, Google Hangouts can attract undesirables, because users are largely untraceable.

Sometimes, people with malicious intent ask you to use Hangouts because you cannot trace them. Hangouts provides them with a way to hide and be in control. If someone you just met online wants to switch to Hangouts for conversations, then be careful as they may be a scammer engaging in conversation as a prelude to the scam.

If you get an invite that seems suspicious, you can block and report that user by clicking on “reject” on the invite.

The scammers start by creating false profiles, typically on social media sites, dating sites etc. They find their victims and then correspond with a lot of people simultaneously using a pre-arranged script. They may ask for money for a  visa or tell you a sob story about being mugged or sick or have a dying relative – anything to get money from you.

These are standard scammer tactics – do not be fooled.

Be careful on Google Hangouts.

If you have any experiences with scammers on Hangouts – do let me know, by email.