Bengaluru gang poses as Microsoft tech support officials, steal crores from Americans

The cybercriminals allegedly deployed malicious Facebook ads targeted at American users, embedding codes disguised as security alerts or service links. (AI-generated image)

Bengaluru police have arrested 21 people linked to a city-based cybercrime syndicate accused of targeting unsuspecting citizens in the United States by posing as Microsoft technical support staff. The Times of India reported that the gang allegedly cited fake “Federal Trade Commission (FTC)” violations to extort money, siphoning off funds believed to run into several crores.

Acting on a tip-off, teams from the Cyber Command’s special cell and sleuths of the Whitefield cyber crime police station raided Musk Communications’ office on the sixth floor of Delta building in Sigma Soft Tech Park. The operation, conducted Friday and Saturday with a search warrant, led to the seizure of computers, laptops, hard disks, mobile phones, and other devices.

All 21 staffers present were arrested and produced before a local court, which remanded them in police custody.

Office rented in August, role of owner under scanner 

Investigators revealed that Musk Communications rented a 4,500-square-foot office space in August. Police are verifying details of the rental agreement, payment records, and the owner’s involvement.  "The rent for such a large space runs into several lakhs of rupees. We need to question the building owner,” an investigating officer told Times of India.

While probe is underway, authorities believe the fraud involved transactions worth several crores.

How the gang fooled their victims

The gang allegedly used Facebook ads targeted at American users, embedding codes disguised as security alerts. “Once a user clicked on the ad, the code froze the computer and triggered a pop-up claiming to be from Microsoft global technical support, displaying a fake helpline number,” the officer said.

When victims called the number, fraudsters posing as Microsoft technicians claimed their systems were hacked and IP addresses compromised, putting banking data at risk. To heighten fear, the gang cited fabricated FTC violations before persuading victims to pay large amounts of money for bogus security fixes and compliance procedures.