Google sues Chinese citizens over fraudulent crypto apps on Play Store: report

Google is taking a conscious approach to identifying risky apps promoted on its Play Store. In a new development, the search engine giant has identified two suspects who may have been using app storefronts to promote fraudulent crypto apps. In response to the situation, Google has filed a lawsuit against two Chinese citizens living in mainland China. Google’s archrival Apple has maintained policy-based boundaries with cryptocurrency-related activities, aiming to protect its community members from financial risks.

In the lawsuit filed by Google, the company claimed that the two Chinese nationals lured people into using scam crypto apps, got them to deposit funds, and then prevented them from withdrawing their deposits, Google reported. coin telegraph explain.

The individuals named by Google in the lawsuit are Sun Yunfeng, also known as Alphonse Sun, and Zhang Hongnan, also known as Zhang Hongnim or Stanford Fisher. In its filing, the tech giant accused the defendants of misrepresenting their identity, location and nature of the fraudulent apps in order to publish them on the Play Store.

Google estimates that these malicious encryption apps have been downloaded a total of more than 100,000 times. TionRT exchange is one of the apps named, and Google accuses the two companies of promoting and publishing at least 87 crypto scam apps on the Play Store.

The alleged culprits are accused of using the international reach of platforms such as YouTube to advertise the apps, while also reaching potential victims through text messaging campaigns.

The tech giant is also suing the developers behind the apps for violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. The RICO Act was passed in the United States in 1970 to eradicate organized crime.

Over the past few years, the cryptocurrency industry has boomed internationally and thousands of cryptocurrencies have been put into circulation. Taking advantage of this boom, cryptocurrency scammers have also stepped up their activities and managed to steal billions of dollars from the community.

Now, some countries are deploying rules to regulate the cryptocurrency industry, hoping to ensure that their citizens can safely participate in the industry. Fake apps, fake high-return schemes, scam airdrop promises are just a few of the ways scammers connect with potential victims.

As the number of cryptocurrency crimes continues to increase, authorities have repeatedly reminded platforms such as the Apple App Store and Google Play Store to remain vigilant and identify problematic applications.

For example, in November 2022, US authorities asked Apple and Google to provide details of encryption-related apps on the App Store and Play Store respectively. At the time, tech giants were also asked to explain how and how often they monitor apps available for download on their respective app stores.