A shocking case of online fraud has surfaced from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, where a man identified as Manish Kumar has been accused of running a large-scale tech support scam right from his apartment. The revelation came after a cybersecurity enthusiast, known by the handle NanoBaiter on X (formerly Twitter), claimed he infiltrated Kumar’s laptop while pretending to be a victim of the con.
Sharing screenshots and webcam footage, the user described how the scammer panicked when he realised his own system had been compromised. “When I hacked into his laptop and switched on the live webcam feed, he instantly panicked and blocked the camera view with his hand!” NanoBaiter wrote in his viral post.
How The Scam Worked
According to the claims, Kumar posed as a representative of Anti-Virus Guard (AVG) to trap unsuspecting victims. He allegedly pushed deceptive Google ads to direct people toward his fake support services. Once victims reached out, Kumar would request remote access to their computers, fabricate false technical problems, and then charge them for meaningless repairs.
NanoBaiter revealed he played along with the scam until Kumar attempted to gain control of his system. Instead, the tables turned. "He thought he was in control, but I was about to flip the scam on him, exploiting one of the biggest weaknesses in cybersecurity: human vulnerability," the digital vigilante explained.
The Sting Operation
By tracing Kumar’s IP address, NanoBaiter gained access to sensitive files on the suspect’s computer. He claimed to have pulled personal identification documents, including an Aadhaar card, PAN card, and passport, while also confirming Kumar’s identity via webcam.
"I matched the photos from his PC with the face I saw live. There was no doubt, it was Manish Kumar, running scams straight out of his bedroom in Ghaziabad," he stated, tagging both the Uttar Pradesh Police and Ghaziabad Police to intervene.