Google Sues Chinese Cybercrime Network Using AI for Mass Scams

Google has filed a lawsuit against the Chinese cybercrime group Outsider Enterprise, which, according to the corporation, used artificial intelligence to carry out large-scale phishing attacks. The attackers created fake websites impersonating Google and other well-known brands and sent fraudulent SMS messages to steal passwords and banking card details.

Within two weeks in May of this year, Android users reported 55,000 suspicious messages—more than two complaints per minute. During this period, Outsider Enterprise sent a total of 2.5 million SMS messages. The group also deployed around 9,000 fake websites and registered one million fraudulent domains. Google estimates that hundreds of thousands of people fell victim to the scams, with damages amounting to millions of dollars.

Outsider Enterprise offered criminals a platform called Outsider for automating attacks, priced at $88 per week or $200 per month. The service included over 290 ready-made templates for creating phishing websites, as well as AI-powered tools for generating code, including Google Gemini. Criminals used Telegram to coordinate attacks, share expertise, and sell stolen data.

Google actively employs its own AI tools to combat such threats, blocking over 10 billion fraudulent messages monthly. The company collaborates with telecom operators such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, as well as law enforcement agencies, including the FBI. As part of the investigation, domains and accounts used for testing phishing services were blocked.

According to the FBI, since July 2023, the Outsider Enterprise platform has enabled criminals to steal data from over 3.8 million credit cards, causing approximately $1.9 billion in damages. Google is seeking compensation for losses and an injunction to halt the criminal group’s activities.