The first link labeled "Ad" when you search for "Binance" on Google is often a phishing site. This article provides ways to identify and report them. Download links: Binance website, mobile Binance official app, if you don't have the iOS app installed see the iOS install guide.
I. Why Search Ads Are High-Risk
Ad slots are auctioned off to the highest bidder, meaning anyone can spend money to buy keywords like "Binance website" or "Binance login". Attackers pay with stolen credit cards or cryptocurrencies, and simply open a new account if one gets banned.
About 70% of cryptocurrency keyword ad slots are occupied by phishers — this is an open secret in the industry. Google, Bing, and Baidu all have this problem.
II. Identifying Ads
Desktop Search
The ad slot will display:
- A small "Sponsored" or "Ad" tag in the top left corner
- Placed before organic search results
- The URL appears green but the actual destination can be different
Mobile Search
The tags are smaller but still present. Look closely at the small text above each result.
III. Forms of Ad Hijacking
1. Displaying binance.com But Redirecting Elsewhere
Google Ads allows the "display link" to be different from the "destination link". Attackers display binance.com but redirect you to binance-cn.top.
2. Homoglyph Domains
Displaying binаnce.com (with a Cyrillic "а"), which looks similar but redirects to a completely different phishing domain.
3. Relay URLs
Displaying a-real-domain, which redirects multiple times to a phishing site after being clicked.
IV. Never Click on Ads
The simplest defense: never click on any search result with a "Sponsored" or "Ad" tag.
Directly click on the first organic search result, and verify the address bar after it loads.
However, even organic results can be manipulated by SEO — so the safest method is to use bookmarks or the APP, completely avoiding search engines.
V. Ad Blocking Extensions
uBlock Origin
The most well-known ad-blocking extension. Once enabled, all search engine ad slots are blocked.
Privacy Badger
Developed by the EFF, it offers dual interception for tracking and ads.
System-Level Blocking
Use Pi-hole or NextDNS at the DNS level to block ad domains. All devices in your home will benefit.
VI. Reporting Phishing Ads
Click the "ⓘ" in the top right corner of the ad → Report ad → Select "Fake info / Phishing".
Bing
A similar process applies.
Binance Official
Forward the phishing link to [email protected].
Google usually takes down the ad within 24-72 hours after reporting. However, the same attacker will just change the domain and bid again, so reporting cannot keep up with their speed — meaning technical defenses (not clicking ads + using bookmarks) are more effective than reporting.
VII. Mobile Browser Issues
iOS Safari cannot install traditional extensions (only limited content blockers). Android Chrome does not support extensions. Therefore, on mobile devices:
- Use the Brave browser (which has built-in ad blocking)
- Or rely entirely on the Binance APP
VIII. Long-Term Recommendations
1. Build the Habit of Not Searching
Pin the Binance entry point to your bookmarks, APP, or home screen icon. Only use search engines for looking up announcements and tutorials.
2. Educate Your Family
Teach your family members, especially those unfamiliar with the internet, to treat "searching and clicking the first result" as a dangerous action.
3. Be Extra Careful on Company Machines
Extensions synced with your company Google account might be disabled, increasing your exposure to ads.
4. Follow Binance Announcements
Binance regularly publishes lists of "recently discovered phishing domains", which you can add to your local hosts file to block them.
FAQ
Q1: Can Google not identify phishing ads? It can identify some, but there is a lag between identification and removal, and new attack domains constantly emerge.
Q2: Is Baidu cleaner than Google? Baidu has stricter controls on crypto keywords, but the barrier to registering fake accounts is lower. It is equally unreliable.
Q3: Does DuckDuckGo have no ads? DuckDuckGo also has ads (provided by Bing), but there are fewer ads for crypto keywords. It is relatively safer.
Q4: Can I buy a premium membership to remove ads? Some search engines offer premium memberships to remove ads (like Kagi). This can be considered.