Google sues Chinese cybercriminals for using AI to send scam texts
Google has filed a lawsuit against the alleged Chinese cybercrime network Outsider Enterprise, which used artificial intelligence to send scam text messages impersonating Google and other brands to steal passwords and credit card numbers, affecting hundreds of thousands of victims and causing millions in losses.
Google announced on Friday that it is taking legal action to dismantle the infrastructure of a massive AI-powered cybercrime operation. The lawsuit targets a Chinese cybercrime network known as Outsider Enterprise, which the tech giant accuses of using AI to conduct large-scale scam text campaigns.
According to Google, the group sent fraudulent text messages posing as Google and other well-known brands to trick users into revealing passwords and credit card numbers. The attacks targeted Android users, with the group creating 9,000 fake websites and one million fraudulent web domains.
In a two-week period, Outsider Enterprise sent 2.5 million text messages. During just two weeks in May, Android users flagged 55,000 spam texts—equivalent to more than two spam complaints per minute. Google estimates that the operation has financially scammed hundreds of thousands of victims, with losses in the millions of dollars.
To combat these AI-driven scams, Google said it uses its own AI-powered tools to detect and block suspicious messages. The company intercepts over 10 billion scam messages each month. Google has also collaborated with major U.S. carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon to block the scam texts. Additionally, the company is coordinating with the FBI, which is taking unspecified law enforcement actions. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
