Gujarat police to grill Google over half-million fake Gmail accounts

Gujarat Police have launched an investigation into Google following the discovery of 513,847 fake Gmail accounts implicated in a network disseminating bomb threat hoaxes across the state. The probe represents a significant cybercrime case highlighting vulnerabilities in account creation and verification mechanisms on one of the world's largest email platforms.

Authorities said the fraudulent accounts were systematically created and exploited to send threatening messages, causing widespread alarm and triggering security responses from law enforcement agencies. The sheer scale of the operation—involving over half a million accounts—suggests a coordinated effort rather than isolated incidents of misuse.

Police officials indicated they would formally question Google representatives regarding the company's safety protocols and account verification procedures. The interrogation is expected to focus on how such a large network of fake accounts went undetected for an extended period and what preventive measures Google has in place to combat similar fraudulent activities.

The case underscores ongoing concerns about the exploitation of free email services for criminal purposes in India. Cybercrime experts have previously warned that the ease of creating multiple accounts without stringent identity verification remains a persistent security challenge for major tech platforms operating in the country.

Google has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the police investigation. The company typically cooperates with law enforcement requests and has stated its commitment to combating abuse on its platforms through automated detection systems and human review teams.