Crackdown on Gurugram's Fake Call Center: Microsoft's Unwanted Allies

Police in Gurugram dismantled a fake call center duping Canadians by impersonating Microsoft support. Operating from a rented home, the center, led by 13 individuals, used pop-up scams to extract $300-$500 from victims. Authorities seized laptops and phones and registered a case under cybercrime laws.

A fake call center in Gurugram, purporting to offer Microsoft technical support, was shut down by police after it scammed Canadian citizens. According to officials on Saturday, the bust resulted in the arrest of 13 individuals, including the operation's team leader.

Based in a rented property in Sushant Lok Phase 3, the fraudulent operation involved sending viruses to Canadian computers via pop-ups, coercing victims into paying $300 to $500 for so-called 'gift vouchers', alleged Gurugram ACP (Cyber) Priyanshu Dewan. Raids led to the seizure of twelve laptops and three mobile phones.

An FIR was filed at the Cybercrime police station under pertinent Indian laws. Inspector Naveen Kumar, upon a tip-off, led the raid where male and female 'call center' staff were caught in the act. Investigations revealed the operation lacked necessary OSP licenses or any related documents, and employees were earning a monthly salary of Rs 30,000.

(With inputs from agencies.)