Seven out of 10 Indian consumers have been victims of tech support scams in the past one year. In contrast, tech support frauds were down 5 percent globally during the same period, and if it was 59 percent. It concludes with Microsoft’s latest Global Tech Support Scam Research Report-21. The report found that Indian consumers fell victim to tech support fraud in the past 12 months, at 69 per cent, similar to the 2018 rate of 70 per cent.
Half of the consumers surveyed in India, or 48 per cent, are victims of such frauds. Compared to the year 2018, it is up by eight points and is three times the global average (16 percent). Of those surveyed, one-third (31 percent) continued to interact with fraudsters and eventually lost their money. There has been an increase of 17 percentage points compared to 2018 (14%).
Young populations who fall victim to fraud
In India, by 2021, young people aged 24-37 are likely to fall prey to such frauds. 58 percent of people this age lose money. In India, 73 per cent of men who interact with fraudsters are more likely to lose money. Microsoft receives about 6,500 complaints of technology-based fraud worldwide each month. However, these complaints have now been reduced. In previous years, the average number of these complaints per month was 13,000.
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“Tech support fraud is on the rise all over the world and it targets people of all ages,” said Mary Jo Shrad, Assistant General Counsel Regional Lead for Microsoft’s Digital Crime Unit in Asia. The survey reveals that Indian consumers are more vulnerable to this type of fraud than any other country in the world because they have a tendency to ignore the fraudsters and consequently cheat more. All that is needed is that the customers understand the risk immediately and protect themselves from such frauds.
