On January 31, 2025, the Commercial Court at Gurugram delivered a landmark judgment against tech fraud and trademark infringement, awarding significant damages to Microsoft Corporation. The Court found Retnec Solutions Private Limited (Retnec) and its collaborators guilty of exploiting the MICROSOFT trademark in a large-scale scam. The case, argued by Prashant Gupta and Karan Singh of K & S Partners, set a precedent for combating tech fraud in the digital age.
Microsoft Wins Landmark Case Against Retnec’s Global Tech Support Scam
Retnec operated a fraudulent call center in Gurugram, tricking consumers into believing they were receiving legitimate technical support services from ‘Microsoft Certified Technicians.’ The scam, which targeted victims globally, including in the US and Canada, involved deceptive pop-up messages and cold calls claiming that the victims’ computers had security issues. In reality, the fraudsters provided fake services and counterfeit software, causing financial losses.
Microsoft took action by filing a First Information Report (FIR) in November 2018. A police raid at Retnec’s premises uncovered crucial evidence, including fraudulent scripts and payment records. The directors of Retnec, Gaurav Sahaye and Akshay Anand, were arrested, and Microsoft filed a suit against them and foreign entities involved in the scam, including Skyfill Business Solutions LLC and Apzee Technologies LLC.
Court Awards Microsoft INR 75 Lakh in Landmark Trademark Infringement Case
The Court ruled that Retnec’s actions violated Microsoft’s intellectual property rights and caused reputational harm. It restrained the defendants from using the MICROSOFT trademark or similar marks and awarded exemplary and punitive damages of INR 75,00,000 to Microsoft. Retnec and its directors were ordered to pay INR 50,00,000, while the foreign entities owed INR 5,00,000. Additionally, the Court ordered the defendants to cover Microsoft’s legal costs, amounting to INR 20,65,000.
Microsoft hailed the ruling as a significant step in the fight against tech scams, with its Digital Crimes Unit working closely with law enforcement worldwide to protect consumers and brand integrity.
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