Reports of a fraudulent artificial intelligence (AI) law firm allegedly sending false Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) alerts to gain dishonest Search Engine Optimization (SEO) advantages have come to light. The fraudulent scheme was discovered when journalist Ernie Smith received an alleged “DMCA Copyright Infringement Notice” from a so-called law firm named “Commonwealth Legal.”
Smith recognized irregularities in the alert, which contained formatting errors and suspicious language, leading him to report the incident to relevant authorities and share it on social media. The counterfeit AI law firm purportedly used the DMCA protocol to intimidate site owners, suggesting severe legal repercussions if their demands were not met, in an attempt to manipulate search rankings in their favor.
Google has reported investigating this matter, reminding web owners to verify the authenticity of DMCA notices. The Federal Trade Commission is also investigating the case to deter cyber fraudsters.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the prevalence of fraudulent activities in the digital space and emphasizes the need for vigilance when receiving legal notifications.
Deceptive AI law firm exploits DMCA for SEO gains
It opens a broader conversation on the potential misuse of AI, the need for strong cybersecurity systems, and the importance of public education on these frauds and the defense against them.
Smith began an investigation into the validity of the notice, consulting with a legal expert and contacting “Commonwealth Legal” for more information about the supposed infringement. He also made contact with the company “Tech4Gods,” which the law firm purportedly represented.
Despite some questionable aspects of the law firm’s validity, like its recently founded status on a Canadian server, doubts about the firm’s proclaimed extensive experience, and staff members missing from LinkedIn or legal directories, there was no solid evidence of fraudulent activity. The firm’s prolific use of stock photos and AI-generated faces, along with complex biographies of supposed lawyers, only served to deepen skepticism.
The scam appears to aim to force site owners to insert backlinks to their websites, which Google uses to rank sites. This could increase a site’s ranking, but engaging in such manipulation could also result in penalties from Google, resulting in a drop in search engine rankings.
When questioned, the owner of Tech4Gods denied involvement with the counterfeit AI law firm but ensured a thorough internal investigation into the matter. He emphasized that SEO manipulations were never part of the brand’s ethos and urged stakeholders not to judge the situation hastily, reiterating his commitment to ethical standards and promising to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
