As per the information regarding this crackdown made by The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the US Justice Department goes a technical support fraud scheme was run by Michael Brian Cotter (59) of Glendale, California, an American citizen by working with call centers in more than one Indian cities over the past decade.
According to a statement issued by the US Justice Department, the technical support fraud scheme operated by Cotter is believed to have defrauded hundreds of elderly American citizens.
Joining hands with the US Justice Department, the Central Bureau of Investigation had filed a complaint in a court in Florida against five companies that were alleged to have been involved in the scheme were raided by the CBI. These five businesses/individuals operated from Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, and Jaipur.
In what is known to be the first parallel action by the US and Indian governments, the statement was given by the US Department of Justice also said,” According to the CBI, incriminating digital evidence related to the scheme was collected and seized during the searches.”
The response to the complaint filed in the US, a temporary restraining order is issued by the federal court. This order directed Cotter and the five companies to stop engaging in any technical support fraud scheme.
The complaint goes on to say how US consumers were contacted via Internet pop-up messages that were made to falsely appear as security alerts from Microsoft or other similar reputation gained company. The messages then went on to claim how the consumer’s computer was infected via a virus. The toll-free number in the messages provided to the consumer was operated from the India-based call centers which also participated in the fraud.
Hundreds of dollars were asked in the name of detecting fake viruses in the devices of consumers and fixing it.
Facilitation of this scheme by Cotter was done by several companies that include names, Singapore-registered Global Digital Concierge Pte Ltd, formerly known as Tech Live Connect Pte Ltd, Nevada-registered companies Sensei Ventures Incorporated and NE Labs Inc, New York-registered Kevisoft LLC, and UK-registered Kevisoft UK Ltd.
“The department of justice sincerely appreciates CBI’s efforts to disrupt and prosecute technical support fraud, government imposter fraud, and all other schemes directed at the American public,” says Jeffery Bossert Clark.
Charles Spencer describes the structure of the FBI by saying,” The FBI works with its local, state, federal and international partners to combat technical fraud schemes.”
Charles Spencer is the assistant director of the international operations of the FBI and Jeffery Bossert Clark is the acting assistant attorney general.