Govt flags scam pattern, asks Google to shut hundreds of Firebase accounts

A government crackdown has brought one of Google’s widely used developer platforms into focus, after officials detected repeated misuse linked to financial fraud. Investigators are now tracking the digital infrastructure behind these operations, as scammers find new ways to distribute malicious software and collect sensitive information.

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The development highlights how quickly cybercriminals are adapting to India’s expanding digital economy, while also raising questions about how technology platforms can respond when legitimate tools are turned into instruments for scams targeting ordinary users.

Government flags Firebase misuse

India has directed Google to shut down hundreds of accounts on Firebase, its app and website development platform, after officials identified a pattern of scammers using the service to impersonate banks and defraud users. Government notices reviewed by Reuters show that the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) ordered at least 57 Firebase-hosted websites and databases to be removed in August alone.

The flagged services were allegedly being used to distribute malware and collect sensitive financial information from victims’ phones. Google can face liability for the named links if they are not removed within three hours of receiving a notice.

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In an August 17 notice, I4C said Android malware was being disguised as legitimate banking services and promoted through offers such as new credit cards, reward redemptions and credit-limit upgrades. The government has issued dozens of Firebase-related notices to Google in recent months.

Google said it has strict policies against phishing, malware and financial fraud and works with law enforcement, including I4C, to assess and act on such notices.

How scammers are targeting users

Seven of the 57 flagged websites mimicked major Indian banks, including State Bank of India, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank. Others were allegedly designed to collect stolen information such as credit-card details and one-time passwords.

Another scheme exploited PM-KISAN. Fraudulent websites promised users help in claiming their government payment and asked them to install an app. The malicious application could then send personal information to a scammer-controlled Firebase database, potentially allowing access to other apps and users’ money.

The government had already warned in March about malware researchers call “Android God Mode”, which can give attackers extensive control over a victim’s phone.

Why Firebase became a target

The crackdown comes as India’s digital payments ecosystem continues to expand, with nearly 242 billion real-time payment transactions processed in the year to March 2026. Online scams cost Indians nearly $2.4 billion in alleged cyber fraud in 2025, according to government data.