Google sues cybercriminal group behind E-ZPass, USPS text phishing scams

Core Points - Google has filed a lawsuit against a foreign cybercriminal group known as the "Smishing Triad," which is primarily based in China and is responsible for a large-scale SMS phishing operation [1][2] - The group has targeted over a million victims across 120 countries, exploiting trust in reputable brands to deploy fraudulent texts [2] - Google is seeking to dismantle the group and its phishing-as-a-service platform named "Lighthouse," under various legal claims including the RICO Act and CFAA [2] Group 1 - The "Smishing Triad" has created a phishing-as-a-service kit called "Lighthouse," which generates templates for fake websites aimed at stealing sensitive user information [2][3] - The phishing messages often masquerade as urgent alerts, such as fraud notifications or delivery updates, to deceive victims [3] - The crime group has reportedly stolen between 12.7 million and 115 million credit cards in the U.S. alone [3] Group 2 - Google's legal action aims to prevent the further spread of such phishing operations and to protect users and brands from future harm [4]