Google Sues China-Based Cyber Ring Over ‘Weaponised’ Gemini AI Scams
Google filed a lawsuit in the US against a China-based cybercrime group called Outsider Enterprise, which allegedly used its Gemini AI to generate phishing scams targeting millions of Android users globally. The operation sent over 2.5 million fraudulent messages in two weeks last May, causing millions in financial losses, and Google is collaborating with the FBI and telecom providers to combat the threat while advocating for stricter AI cybercrime laws.
Google has sued a China-based cybercrime syndicate named Outsider Enterprise in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit accuses the group of weaponizing Google’s Gemini AI to create convincing phishing messages, defrauding hundreds of thousands of smartphone users worldwide. The network allegedly operated from China, using Telegram to coordinate attacks and deploy automated text campaigns mimicking trusted brands, including Google. Victims were tricked into revealing passwords and credit card details through fake parcel alerts, banking warnings, and security notifications. Google’s cybersecurity teams reported the operation sent 2.5 million fraudulent messages to Android users in two weeks last May, with 55,000 spam texts flagged—averaging two complaints per minute. Investigators linked the group to over 9,000 fake websites and more than one million fraudulent URLs. The tech giant is working with the FBI and telecom providers like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon to block fraudulent messages. Google also emphasized that litigation is part of a broader effort to push for federal legislation against AI-driven cybercrime, calling for permanent industry-wide protections. The case underscores rising concerns about generative AI being exploited by criminal networks to scale social engineering attacks. Proceedings in New York are expected to begin in the coming months.
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