Google’s AI Overviews are designed to make search quicker and easier, but some users are finding out the hard way that the feature can also serve up scams. Reports have surfaced of fraudulent customer service numbers appearing in the AI-generated summaries, raising fresh concerns about trust and safety in Google’s new search experience.
One recent case, shared on Facebook by user Alex Rivlin shows how convincing these scams can be. Rivlin was searching for a Royal Caribbean shuttle booking number when the AI Overview at the top of Google’s results provided what looked like an official contact line. The person on the other end asked for a credit card to pay for the shuttle. But when the “representative” started requesting extra fees and more personal details, Rivlin backed out—only to later notice unauthorized charges on his card. He was able to block them, but the incident revealed how easily scammers can slip through.
This isn’t an isolated problem. Months earlier, a Reddit user reported dialing what they thought was a Southwest Airlines number from an AI Overview, only to discover it was another scam. Because these summaries pull information directly from around the web, they can sometimes surface fake listings or phishing numbers that have been seeded online. To make matters worse, even a quick Google cross-check might show those same numbers linked to legitimate-looking pages, adding another layer of deception.
The issue is especially worrying given how widely AI Overviews are being used. According to StatCounter, about a quarter of Google searches in the US triggered AI Overviews in Q2 2025. That reach gives scammers plenty of opportunities to exploit unsuspecting users.
So far, Google hasn’t issued a public response to these reports. Until then, the safest move is to bypass AI summaries when looking for customer support and instead rely on official company websites or well-known directories. With AI-driven fraud on the rise—from voice clones to hidden phishing tactics—double-checking a phone number could save people a lot more than just frustration.
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