Google filed a federal lawsuit yesterday accusing a Chinese cybercrime network called Outsider Enterprise of using the company's own Gemini AI to mass-produce fake corporate and government websites. The group allegedly sent scam texts to cellphones and stole millions by impersonating trusted brands. Google says it is working with the FBI and major carriers to dismantle the network.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court yesterday, is the latest escalation in Google's fight against AI-powered fraud. The company alleges that Outsider Enterprise used Gemini to generate convincing lookalike portals for banks, tax authorities, and government agencies, then routed scam SMS messages to US phone numbers through those fake sites. According to Google's legal filing, victims were tricked into submitting login credentials and payment information, resulting in millions of dollars in theft. The company has not disclosed the total financial damage but said the scale of the operation was "industrial." In addition to the court action, Google said it is working with the FBI and wireless carriers to identify infrastructure used by the group and block further attacks. The company also confirmed it is pushing for new federal anti-scam legislation. The case highlights the growing trend of state-aligned cybercriminal groups exploiting commercial AI tools — a pattern the Zioneer has tracked in connection with Iranian and North Korean operations, though this case involves a Chinese network.
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