CBI busts fake call centre in Noida

India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has busted an international gang that was posing as Microsoft tech support and duped over 100 UK and Australian citizens. The scam resulted in victims losing over £390,000 ($525,000). The centre operated from the Noida SEZ and used VoIP and spoofed numbers.

As part of Operation Chakra V, the CBI conducted raids on July 7, 2025, at three locations in Noida. One of them was a full-fledged fake call centre called FirstIdea, equipped with scripts to deceive and anonymously contact victims abroad. During the searches, “live” fraudulent calls were recorded and two key suspects were arrested. The criminals posed as technical support staff, claiming that the victims’ devices were hacked, and demanded payment for “repairs.”

The scam was uncovered after 18 months of joint investigation by the CBI, the British NCA, the US FBI, and Microsoft. The criminals used a scheme with fake pop-ups on the screen (“your computer is infected”), which urged people to urgently call “Microsoft.” The phone traffic was routed through several countries to hide their tracks.

The CBI has dealt a serious blow to an international cybercrime ring that had been profiting from users’ trust in major IT brands for years. The FirstIdea case demonstrates how deeply cybercriminals are integrating into the technical support structure, using legal tools (VoIP, scripts, call centers) for illegal activities. The incident is another reason to check any calls and notifications “from Microsoft.”