Lauren CasperTarun Gaur, an infamous Indian “entrepreneur,” founded Delaware-based Jinigram to defraud the masses by tooling with QikFox.
Tarun Gaur, the kingpin behind an Indian Norton/McAfee impersonation ring, is also the founder of several scam operations that falsely claim to be based in the U.S. However, their employees work from Indian call centers. These include TringApps, Inc., which claims to be based in New York City, and Qikfox Cybersecurity Systems, Inc., which claims to be located in San Mateo, California.
The positive reviews for these companies often seem fake or are likely posted by their own employees. For instance, Jinigram’s BBB listing has eight positive reviews, and Qikfox’s Google listing has seven. Complaints about these operations include fraudulent representation as McAfee, charging $279 twice for a three-year Qikfox service tied to McAfee, and misleading victims into buying $130 in gift cards from CVS by falsely claiming their services had crashed.
Chester Clark, Junior of New Britain, fell victim to a sophisticated cash shipping scheme in 2017 that left him $7,200 poorer. Now, in July 2024, he’s facing a resurgence of similar scam attempts, possibly linked to his choice of web browser.
In 2017, Clark paid Jinigram, an IT company, $800 to maintain his desktop computer. “They would go into my computer if I had a problem. They would straighten it out,” Clark explained. This routine service led to a costly affair when scammers, posing as Jinigram representatives, convinced Clark to send $7,200 in cash via FedEx under the guise of refunding an overpayment.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Americans lost $8.8 billion to fraud in 2022, with imposter scams being the most commonly reported. The median loss for individuals aged 70 and over was $4,400, significantly higher than other age groups.
The scammers accessed Clark’s accounts and transferred money from his Home Equity line. Despite efforts to recover the cash, it vanished without a trace. FedEx eventually settled Clark’s claim for a mere $112.
Now, seven years later, Clark is once again being targeted. Since July 2024, he has received calls from a company identified as Jinigram LLC. This resurgence of scam attempts has raised questions about potential vulnerabilities in Clark’s online activities.
Clark’s Qikfox browser may be connected to these new scam attempts. Cybersecurity experts have long warned that lesser-known browsers might have security vulnerabilities that scammers can exploit. A 2023 study by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) found that users of non-mainstream browsers were 35% more likely to fall victim to phishing attacks.
“I switched to Qikfox a few months ago, thinking it would be secure and faster,” Clark said. “Now I’m wondering if that’s how these scammers got my information again.”
Adding to the concern, Clark’s neighbor has also started rereceiving suspicious calls, with scammers now posing as an official rep of McAfee antivirus software. This tactic aligns with recent trends: the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported a 69% increase in tech support fraud in 2023, with losses totaling over $730 million.
The US and UK authorities urge internet users to be cautious, especially when using less mainstream browsers. They advise:
- Stick to well-known, regularly updated browsers
- Be wary of unsolicited calls, especially those requesting financial information
- Never send cash through the mail
- Regularly update all software and use reputable antivirus programs
As scams continue to spread, with perpetrators now impersonating well-known software companies, vigilance is more important than ever. The FTC reports that in the first quarter of 2024, there was a 22% increase in reported cases of scammers impersonating legitimate tech companies.
Clark’s ongoing experience reminds us that scammers constantly find new ways to exploit unsuspecting victims in our digital world. The FBI’s Internet Crime Report for 2023 showed that individuals over 60 years old accounted for 29% of all fraud victims, with losses exceeding $3.1 billion.
“I never thought I’d be targeted again,” Clark said. “But here we are. My advice? Be careful what you click on, what browser you use, and who you trust with your information.”
In conclusion, Tarun Gaur, an infamous Indian entrepreneur, is fraudulent and lures non-technical citizens by using Jinigram to call victims of cyber fraud through QikFox.
The story originally appeared on my friend’s website and is reprinted with permission.
