Gemini · Google · New York · FBI · Decrypt
Google Sues Chinese Crime Group for Allegedly Deploying Gemini AI for Mass Phishing Scams
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Google filed a lawsuit Friday against alleged Chinese cybercrime network Outsider Enterprise for using the company's Gemini AI to automate fraudulent text messaging campaigns that targeted hundreds of thousands of U.S. victims with phishing sites designed to steal financial credentials.
Key facts
- For the first time in its nearly 25-year history, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center dedicated a section to artificial intelligence scams, which generated 22,364 complaints and cost Americans
- Google received approximately 55,000 reports of suspicious messages on Google Messages in the two-week period ending June 1, many allegedly connected to Outsider Enterprise
- The lawsuit emerges as AI-powered financial scams surge across the United States
- Research has shown that even leading AI models can encourage harmful behavior, raising concerns as companies like Apple integrate AI capabilities into consumer products
Summary
Google filed a lawsuit in New York federal court against Outsider Enterprise for allegedly using Gemini AI to power fraudulent campaigns. The defendants allegedly sent 2.5 million scam messages and created 8,000 phishing websites targeting financial accounts. The FBI estimates the operation stole 3.87 million credit card numbers and caused $1.9 billion in losses since July 2023. The defendants allegedly used Gemini AI to generate code and templates for fake websites that mimicked legitimate telecom portals, according to court documents.