Government orders Google to remove Firebase accounts impersonating bank websites

India's regulatory authorities have moved to shut down a coordinated fraud operation using Google's Firebase platform to host counterfeit banking websites and applications. The Internet for Civil Society (I4C) issued notices identifying multiple Firebase accounts that hosted websites and databases impersonating the Android applications of major Indian banks.

The scam operated by luring unsuspecting customers with attractive offers including reward-point redemption schemes and credit limit upgrades. Users directed to these fake portals unknowingly handed over sensitive banking credentials and personal information to fraudsters operating the counterfeit infrastructure.

Google has been instructed to remove the malicious Firebase accounts and associated content. Firebase, a backend-as-a-service platform owned by Google, provides hosting and database services that have increasingly been exploited by cybercriminals for launching phishing and fraud operations due to the platform's accessibility and ease of deployment.

The action underscores growing concerns about fraudulent financial services in India's digital ecosystem. Security researchers and regulators have warned that such impersonation schemes have become increasingly sophisticated, with criminals replicating legitimate banking interfaces and user experience features to increase their success rates in credential theft.