Google, Facebook employees duped of $100 million in phishing scam: Report

By tech desk

In 2013, a Lithuanian man allegedly tricked employees of two major technology companies into wiring over $100 million to bank accounts that he controlled. Now, the two victim companies have been identified as Facebook and Google. Both the companies have confirmed to Fortune that they had allegedly been targeted by 48-year-old Evaldas Rimasauskas. He allegedly had bank accounts in Latvia, Cyprus, Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary, and Hong Kong. Last month, the US Department of Justice framed charges against Rimasauskas for wire fraud, money laundering and identify theft for which he is expected to face 20 years prison time. He allegedly masqueraded as an Asian-based electronics manufacturer which both Facebook and Google regularly did business with. Further, he is said to have forged email addresses, invoices, and corporate stamps of the Asian-based company to send phishing mails to employees of the victim companies.

In 2013, a Lithuanian man allegedly tricked employees of two major technology companies into wiring over $100 million to bank accounts that he controlled. Now, the two victim companies have been identified as Facebook and Google. Both the companies have confirmed to Fortune that they had allegedly been targeted by 48-year-old Evaldas Rimasauskas. He allegedly had bank accounts in Latvia, Cyprus, Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary, and Hong Kong. Last month, the US Department of Justice framed charges against Rimasauskas for wire fraud, money laundering and identify theft for which he is expected to face 20 years prison time. He allegedly masqueraded as an Asian-based electronics manufacturer which both Facebook and Google regularly did business with. Further, he is said to have forged email addresses, invoices, and corporate stamps of the Asian-based company to send phishing mails to employees of the victim companies.

Previously, the US Department of Justice had released a press statement after charges against Rimasauskas were framed. However, it did not give out names of the victim companies, and described them as “a multinational technology company and a multinational online social media company”.

Fortune put out statements from both Google and Facebook spokesperson, that said: “Facebook recovered the bulk of the funds shortly after the incident and has been cooperating with law enforcement in its investigation,” Facebook spokesperson told Fortune.“We detected this fraud against our vendor management team and promptly alerted the authorities. We recouped the funds and we’re pleased this matter is resolved,” a Google spokesperson told Fortune. Google and Facebook, are among the largest Internet companies in the word, and have some of the most sophisticated security systems. The case brings to surface the fact that no company, big or small, is fully protected against phishing attacks by cyber criminal.