EXCLUSIVE: CBI goes after tech firms behind fake virus scam

Role of five private companies is under the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) radar for allegedly planting a fake virus in their computer network and then offering huge money for their services. The Central agency has registered a case against five private companies based at New Delhi, Jaipur, Noida and  Gurugram and other unknown persons on a complaint.

According to senior CBI officials, it has been alleged that these companies have transmitted pop-ups to the victims’ personal computers with warnings or bogus messages about serious technical problems including malware infection in their Microsoft Windows Systems.

The employees of these companies allegedly advise the victims to install certain anti-malwares or anti-virus, which are essentially PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs). Victims are allegedly given the option to activate PUPs by paying the fee online or by calling a support number advertised in the interface of the program.

The victims were fraudulently influenced in this manner and allegedly fell in their trap to maintain their systems properly. It was also alleged that the victims were made to pay online by clicking the link on the interface for resolving the non-existent problem or when they ask the call centres to seek resolution of the fake problems.

Searches are being conducted today at 10 locations including Jaipur, Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad and Mainpuri at the premises of said companies and the residential premises of other persons.

Officials said that the investigation is going on. There are many fake IT companies which scare their users that their computers are infected with a dangerous virus and they can give a solution by installing their paid antivirus. Cyberexperts said these firms are defrauding people around the world by sending fake pop-up messages warning them that their computers were infected with a virus and offering to fix the problem at a price.