India tells Google to shut scam accounts

India has instructed Google to remove hundreds of accounts from its Firebase web development platform following suspicions that criminals are exploiting the service to impersonate major banks and defraud people, according to government notices and an insider familiar with the situation. Cybercrime has emerged as one of India's biggest law enforcement concerns, with Indians reportedly losing more than $2.4 billion to alleged cyber fraud in 2025, according to official data.

In recent years, authorities have targeted scammers by ordering the removal of their websites. However, officials have recently discovered that scammers are increasingly using Google's Firebase app and website development tool, which has millions of users worldwide.

The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has ordered the shutdown of at least 57 websites and databases hosted on Firebase in August alone, alleging that they were being utilized to spread malware and steal sensitive financial information from victims' phones, according to three notices sent to Google, which have been reviewed by Reuters.

While the notices do not implicate Google or Firebase in any wrongdoing, the company could face liability if the specified links are not removed within three hours of the notice. Android-based malware programs are deceiving users by posing as legitimate banking services, specifically targeting those with credit cards, according to the I4C.

Scammers entice victims with enticing offers such as new credit cards, reward redemptions, or credit limit upgrades, the organization stated in an August 17 notice to Google, directing the removals.

Reuters reported that Google has issued numerous notices to the company regarding Firebase over recent months, although the exact number has not been disclosed. Alphabet-owned Google responded in a statement, affirming that it enforces stringent policies prohibiting the use of its services for phishing, malware, or financial fraud and collaborates with law enforcement agencies, including I4C, to assess and act on such notices. However, officials from India's home ministry, which oversees I4C, did not comment on the matter.

Firebase is a popular platform utilized by millions of developers globally to create apps and host websites, forming part of Google's cloud business, which generated nearly $25 billion in revenue during the most recent quarter. The Indian government believes that scammers have been shifting to Firebase from other free tools since last year, enticed by its generous free options and enhanced database features.

Scammers are increasingly targeting India's rapidly growing digital payments ecosystem, with over 242 billion digital transactions processed through India's real-time payments system alone in the year to March 2026, placing it among the world's largest digital payment markets.