Google is suing a Chinese crime group for allegedly using Gemini AI in mass phishing scams

Google I 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 American victims through phishing sites designed to steal financial credentials.

The defendants allegedly used Gemini AI to create code and templates for fake websites that mimicked legitimate communications portals, according to court documents. The FBI said the operation spread more than 8,000 phishing sites in dozens of countries.

Google received nearly 55,000 reports of suspicious messages on Google Messages in the two-week period ending June 1, many of which were allegedly related to Outsider Enterprise. The same court documents indicate that the network stole an estimated 3.87 million credit card numbers, contributing to approximately $1.9 billion in losses since July 2023.

Phishing sites have allegedly targeted various financial accounts, including cryptocurrency wallets and exchange credentials, as scammers increasingly focus on digital asset holders who may have fewer resources than traditional banking customers.

The lawsuit emerged as AI-powered financial fraud surges across the United States. The FBI received 1,008,597 total cybercrimes Complaints in 2025with cryptocurrency-related complaints accounting for 181,565 reports and $11 billion in losses — the highest of any category.

For the first time in its nearly 25-year history, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center dedicated a section to AI scams, which generated 22,364 complaints and cost Americans nearly $893 million. The bureau’s Operation Level Up, which launched in 2024, has notified more than 8,000 victims of cryptocurrency fraud and prevented more than $500 million in potential losses.

Research has shown that even leading AI models can do this Encouraging harmful behaviorWhich raises concerns such as companies like Apple Integrating artificial intelligence capabilities In consumer products. Google’s lawsuit represents a watershed moment in the attempt to hold bad actors accountable for weaponizing AI tools against financial systems.