Bengaluru police bust fake Microsoft tech support racket targeting US citizens

The racket used fake security alerts and fabricated FTC violation warnings to pressure victims into paying large sums through cryptocurrency.

Bengaluru police have uncovered what they describe as one of the city’s biggest links to an international cyber-fraud network, exposing a local operation accused of scamming US citizens by posing as Microsoft’s technical support team.

The crackdown began after Cyber Command’s special cell and officers from the Whitefield division received a credible tip-off. (HT photo)

The elaborate racket allegedly used fake security alerts and fabricated Federal Trade Commission (FTC) violation warnings to pressure victims into paying large sums through cryptocurrency, Times of India reported.

The crackdown began after Cyber Command’s special cell and officers from the Whitefield division received a credible tip-off.

Acting on this information, police raided the office of Musk Communications, located on the sixth floor of the Delta building inside Sigma Soft Tech Park on Whitefield Main Road. The search was carried out across Friday and Saturday based on a court-issued warrant, the report further added.

During the raid, investigators seized computers, laptops, hard drives, mobile phones, and other digital equipment believed to have been used in the fraud. All 21 staff members present in the office were taken into custody and produced before court, which remanded them to police custody.

According to the investigation, Musk Communications had rented a 4,500 sq ft office space in August this year. Police are now verifying the rental agreement, payment channels, and possible involvement of the building’s owner.

According to the publication , the syndicate relied on malicious Facebook advertisements targeted specifically at users in the United States. These ads carried embedded code disguised as legitimate Microsoft alerts.

When a user clicked on the ad, the code froze the computer and triggered a fake Microsoft technical support pop-up, complete with a bogus helpline number, an officer told DH.

Once victims dialled the number, the callers, posing as Microsoft support technicians, claimed the computer had been hacked, the user’s IP address compromised, and their banking information at risk.

They allegedly intensified fear by citing non-existent FTC violations and coerced users into paying large amounts for fake security fixes and compliance procedures. The money, police said, was routed through cryptocurrency.

Police are now expanding the probe to identify more individuals linked to the network and track the financial trails across jurisdictions.