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Amazon, Microsoft, and India\u2019s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the country\u2019s federal enforcement agency, have announced a major crackdown on tech support fraud.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The CBI\u2019s post details two instances<\/a> where scammers pretended they were customer support agents for two \u201cwell-known multi-national companies\u201d (Amazon and Microsoft) through pop-ups that \u201cfalsely appeared to be security alerts\u201d from the companies. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Through their scheme, the scammers would get people to call a toll-free number to one of their call centers, take over a user\u2019s computer remotely, convince users of the \u201cpretense of non-existing problems,\u201d and \u201cmake them pay hundreds of Dollars for unnecessary services\u201d while impersonating as workers for Amazon and Microsoft. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n As part of the crackdown, \u201cthe CBI conducted intensive searches in five separate cases at 76 locations across multiple states,\u201d the CBI wrote. \u201cIn the wake of Operation Chakra-II, 32 mobile phones, 48 laptops \/ hard disks, images of two servers, 33 SIM cards, and pen drives were confiscated and numerous bank accounts were freezed. CBI also seized a dump of 15 email accounts, illuminating the intricate web of deceit spun by the accused.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThe illegal call centers impacted more than 2,000 Amazon and Microsoft customers primarily based in the US, but also in Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain, and the UK,\u201d Amazon says in a blog post<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThis collaboration marks the first time Microsoft and Amazon have joined forces to combat tech support fraud,\u201d Microsoft\u2019s Amy Hogan-Burney writes in a blog post<\/a>. \u201cWe firmly believe that partnerships like these are not only necessary but pivotal in creating a safer online ecosystem and in extending our protective reach to a larger number of individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n