Chinese cybercrime operation that used AI to scam ‘hundreds of thousands of victims’ sued by Google

Google has filed a lawsuit against an alleged Chinese cybercrime network, Outsider Enterprise, accusing it of exploiting artificial intelligence to perpetrate widespread phishing scams. The tech giant claims the group impersonated Google and other entities to steal sensitive user data through fraudulent text messages and websites.

Outsider Enterprise has scammed hundreds of thousands of victims, resulting in millions of dollars in losses. The group deployed 9,000 fake websites and sent millions of fraudulent texts to Android users. Google, in collaboration with the FBI and telecommunication companies, has worked to dismantle the infrastructure used by the cybercriminals, seizing domains and accounts.

The lawsuit details how Outsider Enterprise offers a "phishing-for-dummies" software, costing $88 per week or $200 per month, which enables individuals with limited technical skills to create fake websites using AI platforms. These sites mimic legitimate services to steal passwords, financial information, and multi-factor authentication codes.

Google has detected millions of URLs connected to Outsider Enterprise, highlighting the vast scale of their operations. The criminal enterprise is described as being composed of several specialized groups, ranging from software developers to "spammer groups" and those who monetize stolen credentials.

Google asserts that its own AI-powered tools are crucial in combating these sophisticated scams, enabling the detection and interception of billions of scam messages monthly. The company seeks compensatory and punitive damages, along with a permanent injunction against the cybercriminals.