Why you shouldn’t trust Google+ Verified Accounts

Google may have started to roll out verification badges for celebrities and public figures who have Google+ accounts. But, unfortunately, it’s not going to close the door to fraud on the fledgling social network.

The idea is to make it easier for members of the public to tell if they’re the person you’ve added to a Google+ circle is the real Dolly Parton, the real Britney Spears or the real Alyssa Milano.

According to a Google+ post by Googler Wen-Ai Yu about the initiative, verified…

Read more in my article on the Naked Security website.

Found this article interesting? Follow Graham Cluley on Twitter, Mastodon, or Threads to read more of the exclusive content we post.


Graham Cluley is a veteran of the cybersecurity industry, having worked for a number of security companies since the early 1990s when he wrote the first ever version of Dr Solomon's Anti-Virus Toolkit for Windows. Now an independent analyst, he regularly makes media appearances and is an international public speaker on the topic of cybersecurity, hackers, and online privacy. Follow him on Twitter, Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky, or drop him an email.

What do you think? Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.