Microsoft Teams Has Become a Haven for Scammers in China
Fraudsters are exploiting enterprise chat apps like Teams and Webex to trick Chinese victims into transferring large sums of money, fueling a wave of complaints.
Microsoft Teams has become a popular platform for scammers in China, luring victims with promises of financial gain through cryptocurrency investments. One victim, referred to only as Zhao, claims she lost over $220,000 after being promised a future together and introduced to a cryptocurrency investment scheme by the scammer. After the scammer disappeared with her money, Zhao was unable to share chat logs with the police.
She later discovered that she was not the only one falling victim to this scam, with dozens of others in China reporting similar losses ranging from $1,500 to $300,000. Some victims reported recovering a portion of their funds by tracking down the recipient's bank account. Scammers typically instruct victims to download Teams and log in using provided credentials, making it a common tactic that has even prompted local law enforcement in China to warn citizens about the potential for fraud on the platform.
Microsoft has acknowledged the issue, stating that they investigate reports of abuse and take action against accounts that violate their policies. In an effort to combat the scam, Microsoft began displaying a general warning banner to Teams users in China, urging them to be cautious when sharing sensitive information. The company also discontinued the personal version of Teams in China, making it available only through enterprise accounts.
Similar scams have been reported involving other corporate software apps such as Webex and Cliq, with some Chinese social media users reporting being scammed on these platforms as well.
Written by urgent.news from Wired Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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