Google sues group it says used AI to send scam text messages

In short: Google says it filed a lawsuit to shut down an alleged scam operation that used AI to send large volumes of fake text messages.

What happened

Google announced a lawsuit against a group it calls “Outsider Enterprise,” which it says is a China-based cybercrime network. Google says the group used AI, meaning software that can generate text and mimic how people write, to send scam messages that looked like they came from Google and other well-known brands.

According to Google, the goal was to trick people into handing over passwords and credit card numbers. Google said the group targeted Android users with text messages that pushed people to click links.

Google claims the operation was large. It said the group set up about 9,000 fake websites and registered about 1 million web domains (website addresses, like registering many street names). Google also said 2.5 million scam texts were sent in a two-week period.

Google added that Android users flagged 55,000 spam texts in two weeks in May, which it described as more than two complaints per minute.

Google said it uses automated tools to spot and block scams, and that it intercepts more than 10 billion scam messages per month. It also said it has been working with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon to block scam texts, and that it is coordinating with the FBI.

Why it matters

For regular phone users, this is a reminder that scam texts can be mass-produced, like junk mail but faster and more convincing. The lawsuit shows big tech companies are trying to cut off the tools and websites scammers rely on, not just warn people after messages arrive.

Source: TechCrunch AI