CBI, Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit, and Japan’s Cybercrime Control Center joined forces to break up a global fake calls – tech-support scam. The operation dismantled a ring preying on older Japanese citizens. Authorities arrested six suspects, shut down two illegal call centers in India, and seized more than 70 devices.
This collaboration marks a new phase in international law enforcement partnerships, leveraging AI threat detection, global threat intelligence, and private-public sector coordination to tackle sophisticated cyber-enabled financial fraud.
Scammers Used Microsoft’s Name, AI Tools to Dupe Elderly Victims in Japan
The cybercriminal network ran tech support fraud schemes by displaying fake pop-ups impersonating Microsoft, warning users mostly over 50 of fabricated security threats. Scammers urged victims to make fake helpline calls, where they posed as Microsoft support agents and extracted banking details and other sensitive data. In some cases, they also planted malware on victims’ devices to harvest financial credentials.
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Key findings:
- Authorities arrested six main operatives during coordinated raids on May 28 across 19 locations in India.
- Investigators identified over 200 victims, most of them above 50 years old, with 90% based in Japan.
- Over 66,000 malicious URLs and domains were taken down globally since May 2024.
- Scammers used generative AI to automate pop-up creation, target selection, and translation.
- Operations included SEO manipulation, payment gateway fraud, and voice phishing.
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Microsoft’s DCU shifted its strategy from targeting individual call centers to dismantling the entire ecosystem from lead generators and fake pop-up creators to AI-driven translators and payment processors.
The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) analyzed patterns and integrated signals from JC3 to not only disrupt the scam infrastructure but also strengthen Microsoft’s own services against similar abuse.
CBI Raids Were Based on Joint Intel From Microsoft and Japan’s JC3
The CBI’s New Delhi team conducted the 12-hour raids based on intelligence shared by Microsoft and JC3. According to highly placed sources, scammers were inserting viruses into phones and laptops of elderly Japanese users and tricking them into sharing sensitive data, resulting in unauthorized withdrawals from their bank accounts.
Microsoft Urges Vigilance Against Tech Support Fraud
Microsoft reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on tech support fraud. The company emphasized that it never contacts users unsolicited to request personal or financial information or to fix computer issues.
Victims or individuals targeted by such scams are encouraged to report via Microsoft’s official portal: microsoft.com/reportascam
About the author – Ayush Chaurasia is a postgraduate student passionate about cybersecurity, threat hunting, and global affairs. He explores the intersection of technology, psychology, national security, and geopolitics through insightful writing