Technology
Scammers in China target victims using enterprise apps like Microsoft Teams
Fraudsters exploit trusted platforms to execute romance and investment scams, prompting software providers to introduce new safety warnings and account restrictions.
The short version
- Scammers targeting individuals in China are leveraging enterprise communication software including Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, and Zoho Cliq to execute investment and romance scams.
- Fraudsters provide victims with pre-created enterprise account credentials, which are later deactivated to erase chat histories and evidence after money is stolen.
- In response, Microsoft has displayed warning banners and shut down the personal version of Teams in China, while Zoho disabled online payments for Cliq and suspended flagged accounts.
- It remains uncertain whether tech firms will be able to curb scam activity on corporate apps without disrupting legitimate business users.
Key facts
- An analysis of 500 reviews on Apple's Chinese app store found that 30 percent of Microsoft Teams reviews over an 18-month period cited scam activity.[Wired]
- Victims report losses ranging between $1,500 and $300,000 in schemes that move targets from Chinese social platforms to corporate apps.[Wired]
- Microsoft began showing warning banners to Teams users in China in June and discontinued the personal version of the app in the country.[Wired]
- Over 70 percent of Apple Chinese app store reviews for Cisco Webex since February 2025 mentioned scams occurring on the app.[Wired]
- Zoho disabled online payments for Cliq in China, suspended suspicious accounts, and announced plans to end the app's free version in the country.[Wired]
What remains uncertain
- The full extent of financial losses caused by enterprise app scams in China is unknown due to underreporting and erased conversation logs.[Wired]