Google Search Tests Blue Verified Checkmarks To Separate Verified Sources From Fraudulent Websites

Google has started displaying checkmarks next to official website links for major companies like Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Amazon.

Not all users can see these checkmarks yet, as Google is still in the testing phase of this feature.

Source : Unsplash/Christian Wiediger

Scam and fraud cases have been rising over the years and scammers are getting smarter day by day. One of the most common fraud practice is making a phony website that resembles to an original and reputed website. Let us understand this better with an example, suppose you bought a product from a company and you have some complaints regarding it. You might Google about the company to find the the customer service portal and engage with it. This is where scamsters step in but now Google is here to change that.

Google is introducing a new feature in Google Search aimed at helping users steer clear of fraudulent websites. Soon, verified blue checkmarks will appear next to legitimate companies in search results, making it easier for users to distinguish between real businesses and scam sites. This update has been much needed, as there have been numerous cases in the past where people unknowingly reached out to scammers when trying to contact customer service.

Google Search Checkmarks: What Do We Know?

According to The Verge, Google has started displaying checkmarks next to official website links for major companies like Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Amazon. However, not all users can see these checkmarks yet, as Google is still in the testing phase of this feature.

A spokesperson from Google mentioned that the company is experimenting with tools to help users identify reliable businesses online. When you hover over the checkmark, a notification explains that the mark is based on Google's signals suggesting the business is trustworthy, though it doesn't guarantee full reliability.

This new feature appears to be inspired by Google's Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI), which initially launched for Gmail. BIMI added verified logos to emails from companies that participated. While the way it’s being used in Google Search is different, it may still be drawing from the same database of verified organizations.