Two Americans Plead Guilty to Supporting India-Based Tech-Support Scams
Summary
Two Americans pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony for supporting India-based tech-support scammers with phone services. The scheme used fake malware alerts to lure victims; lawmakers also urged major carriers to strengthen scam prevention.
Key points
- Adam Young and Harrison Gevirtz pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony for supporting an India-based tech-support fraud scheme.
- Their company provided phone numbers, call routing, tracking, and forwarding services to the scammers.
- Fake malware pop-ups directed victims, including elderly and disabled people, to call numbers routed to fraudulent support centers.
- Prosecutors said some agents remotely accessed victims’ devices and stole financial information.
- Investigators said Young and Gevirtz continued providing services after learning customers were involved in fraud and advised scammers on avoiding detection.
- The pair are scheduled to be sentenced June 16; the charge carries a maximum sentence of three years.
- Members of Congress urged AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon to explain how they identify and curb scam calls and texts.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Two U.S.-based tech-company operators pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony for knowingly supporting an India-based tech-support fraud scheme.
- Impact
- The scheme used fake malware alerts and routed victims to fraudulent call centers, where they were pressured to pay for fake technical support. Prosecutors said agents sometimes remotely accessed victims’ devices and stole financial information, leading to further thefts; the broader scheme stole millions of dollars from Americans. The pleas add to law-enforcement efforts, while lawmakers separately urged major telecommunications companies to strengthen scam-call and text prevention.
People
David SchweikertU.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee chairman who, with Maggie Hassan, urged AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon to provide information about efforts to curb scam calls and texts.Maggie HassanU.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee ranking member who, with David Schweikert, urged AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon to provide information about efforts to curb scam calls and texts.Ted DocksFBI Boston Division special agent in charge who commented on the defendants’ role in supporting the fraud scheme.
Threat Actors
Adam YoungPleaded guilty to misprision of a felony. Prosecutors said he and Harrison Gevirtz provided services to tech-support fraudsters, continued after learning of customers’ fraud, and advised them on avoiding detection.Harrison GevirtzPleaded guilty to misprision of a felony. Prosecutors said he and Adam Young provided services to tech-support fraudsters, continued after learning of customers’ fraud, and advised them on avoiding detection.
Vendors
Countries
IndiaThey supported an India-based tech-support fraud operation that targeted vulnerable Americans.TunisiaCloud Attribution that assisted the scheme from 2016 to 2022, and they also owned a call center in Tunisia where some employees conducted tech-support fraud.United StatesU.S. lawmakers are pressuring AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon to strengthen scam prevention efforts.
Industries
Technical support servicesVictims were told to call phone numbers that were routed to call centers in India, where scammers forcefully urged them to pay hundreds of dollars for fake technical support services.TelecommunicationsSeveral members of Congress sent a letter on Thursday urging three major telecommunications companies to strengthen their anti-scam efforts.