4 from UP among 6 arrested by CBI for targeting Japanese citizens in tech support scam

LUCKNOW: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested six people, including four from Uttar Pradesh, as part of a major crackdown on a cyber fraud syndicate accused of running a fake tech support scam targeting Japanese nationals. The arrests—part of Operation Chakra V, were made on May 28 during coordinated raids at 19 locations across Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The CBI said the suspects were involved in operating bogus call centres that impersonated customer support units of reputed companies such as Microsoft. Those arrested from Uttar Pradesh have been identified as Rohit Maurya from Ayodhya, and Shubham Jaiswal, Vivek Raj, and Adarsh Kumar from Varanasi. They allegedly deceived foreign victims by claiming their electronic devices had been infected with viruses and demanded payments for non-existent “technical support”. The agency said funds obtained from victims, mostly Japanese citizens were funnelled into mule bank accounts operated by the fraudsters. The case was developed based on intelligence inputs and international cooperation with Japan’s National Police Agency and Microsoft Corporation. Authorities said the collaboration helped them uncover the structure and modus operandi of the transnational scam. Searches conducted during the operation yielded significant digital evidence. Officials said the syndicate used a mix of technical deception and psychological manipulation, a practice known as social engineering, to trick victims.Operation Chakra V is part of a broader initiative to improve coordination between Indian enforcement agencies, foreign police forces, and global tech firms in tackling cross-border cyber threats.