India tells Google to shut scam accounts

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Key points

• Online scams have become one of India's most pressing law enforcement challenges, with Indians losing almost $2.4 billion in alleged cyber fraud in 2025, according to administration data.
• Google Firebaseonline scams in Indiacyber fraudIndian Cyber Crime Coordination Centremalware distributiondigital payments in Indiaphishing scamsbank impersonation scamsAndroid malware.
• India orders Google to take down hundreds of Firebase accounts over cyber fraud.
• There was no suggestion in the notices that Google or Firebase were in any way responsible.
• Power shift, a déjà vu: Air India could be new CEO's toughest flight yet.

India has directed Google to remove hundreds of accounts on its Firebase platform after authorities identified scammers using the service to impersonate banks, distribute malware and steal financial information. The crackdown highlights growing reservations over cyber fraud as criminals exploit widely employed digital tools to target India's expanding online payments ecosystem.

India has directed Google to shut down hundreds of accounts on its Firebase web development platform after finding a pattern of criminals misusing the service to impersonate major banks and defraud individuals, according to administration notices and a source familiar with the matter. Online scams have become one of India's most pressing law enforcement challenges, with Indians losing almost $2.4 billion in alleged cyber fraud in 2025, according to administration data. For years, the administration has gone after scammers by ordering their websites removed. Of late, nevertheless, Indian office-holders have noticed a "pattern" that scammers are using the Google's app and website development tool Firebase. It has millions of users the world over, according to the source with direct knowledge of the matter.

Notably, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has directed at least 57 websites and databases that were hosted on Firebase be taken down in August alone, saying they were being applied to distribute malware and steal sensitive financial information from victims' phones, according to three notices sent to Google and reviewed by Reuters. There was no suggestion in the notices that Google or Firebase were in any way responsible. Nevertheless, Google can be held liable for the named links if they are not taken down within three hours of the notice being issued. Live Events.

"Android-based malware programs are masquerading as legitimate banking services, specifically targeting Android users with credit cards. Scammers lure victims by promoting offers such as new credit cards, reward redemptions, or credit limit upgrades, " I4C remarked in an August 17 notice to Google, directing the removals. The source continued the total number of notices sent to Google over Firebase ran into dozens in recent months, without sharing an exact number. Alphabet-owned Google remarked in an official note the business has "strict policies prohibiting the use of our services for phishing, malware, or financial fraud" and works with law enforcement, including I4C, to evaluate and act on notices. Representatives for India's home (interior) ministry. It controls the I4C, did not respond to questions. Booming digital employ.

Firebase is applied by millions of developers worldwide to build apps and host websites. It is part of Google's cloud business. It generated almost $25 billion in revenue in the most recent quarter. Scam operators have been migrating to Firebase from other free tools since last year, drawn by generous free options and more capable database features, the Indian administration has assessed, the source stated. Scammers are increasingly targeting India's booming digital payments ecosystem. Almost 242 billion digital transactions were processed through India's real-time payments system alone in the year to March 2026, making it one of the world's largest digital payments markets. Reuters reviewed three administration notices sent by I4C to Google in August, accessed through Lumen, a non-profit database where businesses like Google voluntarily submit content removal requests they receive. Add Now!

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Taken together, the developments around india tells Google to shut scam accounts point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.