The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated Operation Chakra-II to combat transnational organized cyber-enabled financial crimes in India. Partnering with Microsoft and Amazon, alongside national and international agencies, the CBI aims to dismantle illegal call center infrastructures responsible for these crimes.
Nationwide Crackdown
Under Operation Chakra-II, the CBI conducted searches in 76 locations across several Indian states, including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Haryana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Bihar, Delhi, West Bengal, and Himachal Pradesh. This comprehensive effort targeted illegal call centers engaged in financial crimes.
Seizures and Discoveries
During the operation, law enforcement confiscated 32 mobile phones, 48 laptops/hard disks, images of two servers, 33 SIM cards, pen drives, and frozen numerous bank accounts. The CBI also seized a treasure trove of 15 email accounts, shedding light on the intricate web of deceit crafted by the criminals.
International Collaboration
The CBI is collaborating with international agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cyber Crime Directorate, IFCACC of INTERPOL, the National Crime Agency (NCA) in the UK, the Singapore Police Force, and Germany’s BKA to uncover further leads and tackle cybercrime globally.
Operation Chakra’s History
Operation Chakra-II follows the success of Operation Chakra launched last year. In the previous operation, the CBI conducted raids at over 100 locations to combat financial crimes linked to cybercriminals.
Microsoft and Amazon’s Involvement
The recent operation targets scams widely known as tech support fraud, where criminals establish illegal call centers that impersonate Microsoft and Amazon customer support. These fraudsters prey on vulnerable individuals, defrauding thousands of victims in the US, Canada, Germany, Australia, Spain, and the UK.
A Unified Front
Microsoft and Amazon have joined forces for the first time to combat tech support fraud. They, along with the CBI, are determined to maintain vigilance, share crucial information, and work closely with Indian law enforcement agencies and victim countries’ authorities.
Advice to Safeguard
While Microsoft and Amazon focus on tackling tech threats, users should remain vigilant regarding tech support calls. Microsoft emphasizes that it never initiates unsolicited email messages or phone calls for personal or financial information. Any communication from Microsoft should be user-initiated. Amazon advises customers to review their order and communication history directly on their Amazon accounts by checking the Message Center. Amazon never requests payments or bank transfers on external websites, only within their official platforms.
