Google Sues Darcula: 900,000 Stolen Cards, 80% of Phishing Texts

Google just filed civil litigation against the phishing as a service provider known as Darcula to disrupt their large-scale fraud operations. Our team at Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) has been tracking this group, which was responsible for 80 percent of all phishing texts during a peak period earlier this year.

The group leveraged their Magic Cat software to allow scammers with limited technical skill to impersonate trusted organizations like the USPS, IRS, and E-ZPass. This activity led to the theft of nearly 900,000 credit card numbers globally, including 40,000 from victims in the United States.

The lawsuit is designed to give Google legal standing to seize websites the group uses, hampering their operations. We will continue to use every technical and legal tool available to protect our users and hold cybercriminal actors accountable.