TECHNOLOGY
Microsoft and Japan took down a cybercrime network behind over a billion scam messages
The VergeWednesday, October 14, 2026 at 8:03 PM
RedScroll Brief
We've all gotten a scam text about a nonexistent parking ticket or a fake package delivery, but hopefully you'll start seeing fewer of them. Microsoft says it helped dismantle a marketplace for scammers sending phishing messages like those around the world.
RedScroll Signal
- Impact
- High
- Category
- Technology
- Regions
- Japan
- Market relevance
- Moderate
- Why it matters
- Technology shifts change how people work, communicate, and build — often faster than policy can follow. We've all gotten a scam text about a nonexistent parking ticket or a fake package delivery, but hopefully you'll start seeing fewer of them. Microsoft says it helped dismantle a marketplace for scammers sending phishing messages like those around the world. Secondary effects may show up in markets and supply chains linked to Microsoft and Japan.
Desk copy
RedScroll Briefing
Extractive editorial brief — not a reprint of the original
What happened
We've all gotten a scam text about a nonexistent parking ticket or a fake package delivery, but hopefully you'll start seeing fewer of them. Microsoft says it helped dismantle a marketplace for scammers sending phishing messages like those around the world.
Why it matters
Technology shifts change how people work, communicate, and build — often faster than policy can follow.
Background
The Verge reported on this under technology. RedScroll surfaces the signal with an extractive brief — not a reprint of the original article. Read the source for full reporting.
Timeline
The Verge published: Microsoft and Japan took down a cybercrime network behind over a billion scam messages
Story is in today’s RedScroll edition. Follow the original source for updates.
Economic impact
Secondary effects may show up in markets and supply chains linked to Microsoft and Japan.
More on
Related stories
- Japan launches mission to bring home a piece of the Martian moon Phobos
Ars TechnicaTECHNOLOGY
- Microsoft says AI agents are like insider threats as ‘frontier models can’t be trusted’
TechCrunchTECHNOLOGY
- Georgia man sues Flock, sheriff's office over alleged ALPR-fueled retaliation
Ars TechnicaTECHNOLOGY
- The Download: the claim shaking up AI and the internet’s agent problem
MIT Technology ReviewTECHNOLOGY
- How to study a swiftly melting climate disaster
MIT Technology ReviewTECHNOLOGY
- These startups hope “blended” food will cut our appetite for red meat
MIT Technology ReviewTECHNOLOGY
Source
The Verge
Original reporting by The Verge. RedScroll provides an extractive briefing only.