Gardaí Warn Microsoft Users in Ireland of Scams Amid Global Service Outage

Dublin: An Garda Síochána has warned Microsoft users in Ireland to remain alert to online scams as a major service disruption continues to affect the technology company’s platforms across more than 70 countries.

The outage has disrupted several widely used services, including Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and its AI assistant, Copilot, affecting both individual customers and businesses.

Gardaí expect fraudsters to exploit the disruption by sending fake text messages and posting misleading offers on social media. Scammers may impersonate Microsoft or other service providers, claiming they can help users restore access to their accounts.

Authorities have advised the public not to respond to suspicious messages, click unfamiliar links or share personal information. Users should delete fraudulent messages and seek assistance only through official channels.

Microsoft said the disruption was caused by unusually high demand on its infrastructure. Although engineers managed to restore server operations several times overnight, services experienced further interruptions. The company has ruled out a cyberattack as the cause and apologised to affected customers across 73 countries.

The outage began on Thursday evening and continued into Friday, leaving users in Ireland and elsewhere facing prolonged difficulties accessing essential services.

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