Google sues another Chinese scam group over large phishing scheme

Google has sued a Chinese cybercriminal group, which the tech giant claims is responsible for millions of scam text messages sent to Americans this year. This is the company’s second similar complaint in a month.

The group, known as Darcula, sells software that enables users to send phishing text messages en masse, impersonating organizations such as the IRS or the US Postal Service in scams.

Darcula’s signature program “Magic Cat” provides an easy way for cybercriminals without advanced hacking skills to spam millions of phone numbers with links to fake websites impersonating businesses like YouTube Premium.

When the victims enter their credit card numbers, they’re then quickly targeted by the same scammers who have purchased “Magic Cat” from the phishing-as-a-service network.

Earlier this year, Darcula members themselves boasted on Telegram that their tool could be customized to send a bunch of texts to Americans’ phones telling them they owed unpaid E-ZPass tolls.

The complaint states that the latest version of the software includes a tool that utilizes AI to create a fake version of almost any website within minutes.

The identities of Darcula members are largely unknown, but the complaint against “a group of foreign cybercriminals who design and execute novel phishing attacks, using artificial intelligence technology to mimic legitimate websites and dupe victims into disclosing personal and financial information,” names Yucheng Chang as the gang’s leader. Twenty-four other defendants are unnamed.

According to NBC News, Google’s lawsuit is designed to give the company legal standing to seize websites Darcula uses, hampering their operations. The complaint asks for a temporary restraining order against the group’s infrastructure.

Shutting it down isn’t easy because most cybercrime ecosystems targeting Americans typically operate from countries that don’t routinely work with US law enforcement. That’s why Google needs to complain to the courts and obtain permission to take over the websites.

Most cybercrime ecosystems targeting Americans typically operate from countries that don’t routinely work with US law enforcement.

“We are taking legal action to shut down the infrastructure of a massive scam operation that was responsible for 80% of all phishing texts,” Cassandra Knight, Google’s Vice President of Litigation, told NBC News.

“Our message to scammers is clear: We will use our technical and legal resources to protect our users and hold you accountable.”

Google estimates that Darcula and associates have stolen nearly 900,000 credit card numbers, including nearly 40,000 from Americans. The company received more than 5,000 complaints about the scam text messages from users from September to November alone.

In November, Google sued another alleged cybercrime group called “Lighthouse,” also blaming it for sending fraudulent texts. In the complaint, Google says that 25 unnamed individuals have operated as part of a scam network and targeted millions of Americans with texts in a “staggering” operation.

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