Thanks to the collaboration with Microsoft, Bulgarian police have recently apprehended 8 online fraud specialists (phishers) during a months-long operation.
The Bulgarian police conducted extensive searches across three cities in the country to crack down on a network involved in international online phishing activities. Microsoft’s involvement was crucial, as the fraudsters utilized the MSN web platform as their primary tool for deception.
The “super” fraudsters employed spoofed emails that appeared to be sent from MSN’s customer service representatives, creating dozens of fake websites that mimicked the official MSN logo, design style, and branding to steal credit card passwords and Social Security numbers.
The estimated amount stolen by these phishers through the MSN-related scams is projected to reach up to $50,000, mainly through wire transfers, selling personal information, and creating counterfeit credit cards.
To date, Microsoft has participated in 325 arrests related to global online fraud, primarily where its software was used as a tool to deceive users. Additionally, Microsoft is actively working to enhance the quality of its services, exemplified by integrating phishing protection features into the MSN Search Toolbar, the Windows Vista operating system, and the new generation Internet Explorer 7 browser.
