Some international
fraudsters are exploiting the tech-savvy reputation of Indians to trick
computer users into giving them access to their machines by pretending to be
from Microsoft. Now the technology giant is fighting back suing several
companies, including an Indian one, alleging they falsely claimed to be
Microsoft-affiliated technical support.In its first big strike against
technical support scamming companies, Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit (DCU)
filed a civil lawsuit in federal court in the central district of California
against Omnitech Support and related entities for unfair and deceptive business
practices and trademark infringement,a Microsoft spokesperson told IANS Tuesday.
One of the companies
named in the case filed recently is C-Cubed Solutions Private Limited, which
the court papers said isa private business company formed under the laws of
India that operates the mail server through which fraudulent technical support businesses
communicate with customers. Microsoft’s suit said that 3.3 million Americans
fall victim to technical support scams every year and lose $1.5 billion.
Describing the fraud, senior Microsoft attorney Courtney Gregoire wrote in a
company blog, These scammers claim to find non-existent computer viruses and
infections then con people out of their hard-earned money for bogus tech support,
in addition to stealing personal and financial information or even installing
new malicious software. Microsoft has received over 65,000 complaints about
such scams since May, she wrote.
The court papers alleged
fraud explicitly mentioned website and telephone numbers of the major sites of
scammers Microsoft said it had investigated. Many people in the US have
reported receiving calls in several cases of people with an Indian accent and
use of Indian names allegedly discovered by Microsoft or affiliates and saying
a problem in his computer. In a typical phone call from someone speak who
identified himself as called Raj Microsoft on a number with a Washington, DC,
area code and phone said the company had a problem with computer. Asked
identified even know what he knew about the problem, and if you hacked the
computer, Raj said he had. When I told him that piracy is a crime, hung up.
Careless computer users
who are asked to visit a website or a program that collect or use malicious
software that information such as usernames and financial malware propagation
of data downloaded introduces the bait. The information collected can be used
for identity theft. In other cases, for remote access to the computer and
demand for credit card numbers, contact your fees. According to Snopes, a site
that Internet misinformation and deception that people traced to collect
different countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and
England, such calls. Microsoft have filed a lawsuit in December 18 names get
three companies in addition to the C-Cubed Solutions, and two individuals. Said
Marc Haberman, Rachel Haberman Eilat and Jay Würzberger include solutions
C-Cubed directors.
The main reason for the
alleged fraudster is successful, the suit said, is that they give the
impression that they represent or connect to this Microsoft. Through that
consumers recognize and to an authorized service provider for diverting service
requirements, the Board added .Consumers never received a call from Microsoft
or our partners ask for a credit card number to charge corrections officer,
Microsoft spokesman said.Our's guidelines for consumers that they will never
give your personal information to callers or unwanted e- mails, and if you're a
problem with your PC, contact Microsoft Customer Service and support. The
Federal Trade Commission recommended to the consumer, if you claimed a call
from someone, be a support person, hang up and call the company entered a phone
number, you know, really to be received. A phone call from someone who created
a sense of urgency or high pressure tactics is probably a scam.
