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Microsoft and Japan take down scam network behind over a billion…

Microsoft traced the activity with Japan's National Police Agency to a marketplace for scammers sending phishing messages worldwide; your fake package notice may finally slow down.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on The Five O'Clock
Published 4:26 PM ET, Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Photo: Jelson25 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from The Five O'Clock at 4:26 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are The Verge's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Jelson25 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

Photo: Microsoft — Photo: Jelson25 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

At a glance

First reported by The Verge: “Microsoft and Japan took down a cybercrime network behind over a billion scam messages”.
Covered on BBN on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 4:26 PM ET on The Five O'Clock, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.
Topics: Japan, Microsoft.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

The VergeMicrosoft and Japan took down a cybercrime network behind over a billion scam messages

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentMicrosoft and Japan's National Police Agency took down a marketplace that sold phishing tools behind over a billion scam messages, the fake parking ticket and fake package kind.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentA billion! So the parking ticket I paid in August was real, and I'm now a wanted man?

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