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Calling up an IT department for help can be a frustrating experience—the only thing more frustrating is getting scammed out of money. Microsoft, Amazon, and Indian law enforcement identified a potential fraud ring with a ton of tech confiscated during searches in the country.
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Microsoft announced the collaboration in a blog post Thursday. The tech company said it joined corporate colleague Amazon in tipping India’s Central Bureau of Investigation of some potential fraud amongst its IT departments. CBI revealed in a statement posted to Twitter yesterday that it had conducted nationwide searches across 76 locations across the country.
“Continuing its fight against transnational organized Cyber Crime Networks, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched Operation Chakra-II, aiming to combat and dismantle infrastructure of organized cyber-enabled financial crimes in India,” the agency wrote in a statement posted to X Thursday. “This operation was conducted in collaboration with national and international agencies, alongside private sector giants.”
CBI confiscated 32 mobile phones, 48 computers, and 33 SIM cards relating to the alleged crimes. The agency also seized 15 email accounts to plot out the web of criminal activity. IT employees in the ring were allegedly defrauding Microsoft and Amazon customers by operating illegal call centers.
“This collaboration marks the first time Microsoft and Amazon have joined forces to combat tech support fraud,” Microsoft wrote in its blog post. “We 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.”
The two companies revealed that this effort will occur elsewhere across the world as these rings evolve and spread. Microsoft says it will also be partnering with other tech companies to exchange information they glean from investigations such as this one.