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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in India has arrested 10 individuals and shut down two illegal call centers involved in a tech support scam targeting Japanese citizens. The operation, part of “Operation Chakra-V,” uncovered fraudsters using AI-powered social engineering to impersonate Microsoft support staff and extract money from victims.
The scammers utilized generative AI to:
- Automate malicious pop-ups
- Translate content for Japanese victims
- Identify potential targets at scale
Read more: The Hacker News
You Should Know:
How Tech Support Scams Work & How to Defend Against Them
1. Malicious Pop-Ups & Fake Errors
- Scammers use JavaScript or malware to display fake warnings.
- Detection & Removal (Windows):
Get-WmiObject -Query "SELECT FROM Win32_Process WHERE Name LIKE '%scammer%'" | Stop-Process -Force
- Linux (if malware is present):
ps aux | grep -i "scam|malware" | awk '{print $2}' | xargs kill -9
2. AI Voice Cloning & Deepfake Calls
- Attackers use ElevenLabs, Resemble.AI, or custom models to mimic legitimate support agents.
- Defense:
- Verify calls via official channels.
- Use call-blocking tools like:
sudo apt install nomorobo-cli For Linux call screening
3. Domain Spoofing & Fake Websites
- Check SSL certificates:
openssl s_client -connect example.com:443 | openssl x509 -noout -text | grep "Issuer|Subject"
- Block known scam domains via hosts file:
echo "0.0.0.0 scam-site.com" | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts
4. Forensic Investigation (If Compromised)
- Memory Dump Analysis (Volatility):
volatility -f memory.dump --profile=Win10x64 pslist | grep -i "support|scam"
- Network Traffic Analysis (Wireshark/Tshark):
tshark -r traffic.pcap -Y "http contains 'techsupport'"
What Undercode Say:
Tech support scams are evolving with AI automation, making detection harder. Always:
– Never grant remote access to unsolicited callers.
– Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all accounts.
– Report scams to Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) or local cybercrime units.
For IT admins:
- Deploy Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) like Microsoft Defender ATP.
- Train employees with simulated phishing/scam tests.
Expected Output:
Awareness + proactive defense measures can prevent losses from such scams. Stay vigilant!
Prediction:
AI-powered scams will increase, leading to stricter global regulations on voice cloning and deepfake detection tools. Companies like Microsoft may integrate real-time scam alerts into Windows Defender.
IT/Security Reporter URL:
Reported By: Garettm Microsoft – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
