Indian Scammer Call Center Shut Down 84 Arrested

By SCARS Editorial Team, Portions by The420

A Major Bust For Indian Cybercrime Police In Shutting Down A Large Scammer Call Center In Noida India

A total of 84 scammers/call center workers were arrested!

About Indian Scammer Call Centers

Scam call centers in India are a major problem, and they have been for many years. These call centers prey on people all over the world, using a variety of techniques to scam them out of their money. Some of the most common scams include:

• Tech support scams: These scammers will call you and claim that there is a problem with your computer. They will then try to convince you to give them remote access to your computer so they can “fix” the problem. Once they have access to your computer, they can install malware or steal your personal information.
• IRS scams: These scammers will call you and claim that you owe money to the IRS. They will then try to scare you into paying them immediately, often by threatening to arrest you.
• Grandparent scams: These scammers will call you and claim to be your grandchild. They will then tell you that they are in trouble and need money.
• Romance scams: These scammers will create fake profiles on dating websites or apps. They will then start a conversation with you and eventually ask for money.

The Indian government has taken serious steps to crack down on scam call centers, but the problem persists and seems to be growing.

There are a number of reasons why scam call centers are so prevalent in India.

• One reason is that the cost of setting up and running a call center is relatively low.
• Another reason is that the Indian government has not been as aggressive as some other countries in cracking down on these call centers.
• Finally, there is a perception in India that scamming is not a serious crime. Until it happens to an Indian!

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the government, IRS, the police, or your grandchild, hang up immediately. Do not give them any personal information, and do not agree to pay them any money. If you think you have been scammed, report it to the authorities – learn how at reporting.AgainstScams.org

Overview of the Scammer Arrests and Indian Police Operation

• It Was A Sophisticated Operation: A large-scale cyber fraud operation in NCR targeted US citizens through deceptive phone calls, impersonating personnel from the US Social Security Administration.
• Stolen Social Security Numbers In The Tens Of Thousands: The fraudsters possessed leaked American social security numbers from the dark web, using them to instill fear in targets.
• American Accented Scammers Trained In Legitimate Call Centers: The group of young individuals, skilled in mimicking American accents, exploited their accent-trained abilities to sound like genuine US citizens.
• Personal Data Sold and Shared: Call center employees used the stolen data to inform victims about the apparent leakage of their personal information, especially their social security numbers.
• Expert Level Psychological Manipulation: Targets were coerced into sharing more sensitive details, such as the last four digits of their social security numbers, by fabricating stories of criminal activity linked to their data.
• Scammer Enjoyed A Substantial Success Rate: Despite skepticism, the operation managed to contact 4 lakh US citizens, successfully cheating more than 600 individuals.
• Operation Kingpins Still At Large: The operation was orchestrated by Harshit Kumar and Yogesh Pandit, who remain at large despite the police raid.
• Staffed By Skilled Scammers: The call center was staffed by 84 employees, including 38 women, who were aware of the scam’s nature but continued due to high incentives.
• A Very Profitable Criminal Enterprise: The fraudulent operation yielded daily revenues of approximately Rs 40 lakh through manipulative tactics.
• Advanced Software Utilization Just Like Real Call Centers: The call center employed software like VICIdial and eyeBeam to manage their deceptive calls efficiently.
• A Sophisticated Multi-Stage Scam: The victims were manipulated to share banking details, then transferred to individuals impersonating US Marshals, who advised victims to convert their funds into cryptocurrency or gift cards.
• Bank Transfer & Gift Card Exploitation: Victims were provided codes to transfer funds to the fraudsters’ accounts or were tricked into providing gift card numbers, resulting in money loss.
• Arrested And Awaiting Trial: Call center employees were charged under IPC sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy), along with relevant IT Act sections.
• Seized Evidence & Assets: Police confiscated 150 computers, Rs 20 lakh in cash, a vehicle, and documents during the raid. Forensic and cyber teams are analyzing the evidence.
• Continued Law Enforcement Vigilance: Law enforcement is actively adapting to counter these criminal operations and bring culprits to justice.

According to The 420 of India:

Fake Call Centre Busted: Scammers From This Noida Office Made Rs 40 Lakh A Day By Cheating Americans, 84 Arrested

Noida Police have dismantled a sprawling scammer & cyber fraud operation that exploited leaked American social security numbers. The operation, centered in a building in Sector 6, was orchestrated by a group of tech-savvy fraudsters who used sophisticated techniques to trick US citizens into divulging sensitive personal information.

The operation came to an end on Wednesday evening, August 23, 2023 when police, acting on a tip-off, conducted a raid resulting in the arrest of 84 individual scammers involved in one of the largest cyber con schemes seen in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Impersonation Tactics and Baiting Targets

The cyber fraud/scammer operation was characterized by its meticulous planning and skillful execution.

The perpetrators, most of whom were young and adept at managing business process outsourcing (BPO) operations, managed to emulate personnel from the US Social Security Administration. By training their accents to sound authentically American, they effectively played the role of officials responsible for informing victims about the alleged leak of their personal data. The scam involved making hundreds of calls daily to US citizens.

A Calculated Deception

Operating under the radar for four months, the fraudulent enterprise raked in a staggering revenue of Rs 40 lakh per day. The duo behind the operation, identified as Harshit Kumar and Yogesh Pandit, who goes by the alias Anna, remain at large. The call center employees, consisting of 84 individuals, were reportedly aware of the fraudulent activities, but their high financial incentives kept them from either reporting the matter to the authorities or leaving their positions.

Elaborate Modus Operandi

The cyber criminals employed a well-organized modus operandi to extract sensitive information from their victims. Using software such as VICIdial and eyeBeam, the fraudsters initiated voice messages to inform recipients of their supposedly compromised social security numbers (SSNs). Victims were then instructed to call back on a designated number. Once the victims returned the call, the scammers would feign access to their case files and proceed to gather details such as names and zip codes.

Earning Trust and Betrayal

The criminal operation exploited fear and panic, using tactics like fabricating suspension orders against the victims’ SSNs due to alleged “suspicious activity.” In many instances, victims were coerced into sharing the last four digits of their SSNs. This information was then used to concoct elaborate tales of involvement in criminal activities such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and vehicle-related fraud. The frightened victims, seeking to safeguard themselves, willingly participated in filing cases of identity theft.

A Web of Deceit Unraveled

As the call progressed, victims were transferred to another individual posing as a US Marshals officer. This new character instructed victims to convert their assets into cryptocurrency or gift cards to avoid supposed account seizures. Taking advantage of the situation, the fraudsters would share a code with the victims, which was used to siphon off their money to the criminals’ accounts. Alternatively, victims who purchased gift cards unknowingly handed over access to their funds when providing the secret number on the cards.

Legal Consequences and Ongoing Investigations

The call center staff involved in the operation have been charged under sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, along with relevant sections of the IT Act. The police’s swift action led to the seizure of 150 computers, Rs 20 lakh in cash, a Creta vehicle, and several documents. Currently, forensic and cyber teams are conducting thorough examinations of the seized computers to gather evidence for further legal proceedings.

As law enforcement agencies continue to crack down on cyber fraud and scams, this latest operation serves as a reminder of the ever-evolving tactics employed by cyber criminals and the crucial role of vigilant policing in safeguarding individuals from falling victim to such sophisticated schemes.

SCARS Resources:

• For New Victims of Relationship Scams newvictim.AgainstScams.org
• Subscribe to SCARS Newsletter newsletter.againstscams.org
• Sign up for SCARS professional support & recovery groups, visit support.AgainstScams.org
• Find competent trauma counselors or therapists, visit counseling.AgainstScams.org
• Become a SCARS Member and get free counseling benefits, visit membership.AgainstScams.org
• Report each and every crime, learn how to at reporting.AgainstScams.org
• Learn more about Scams & Scammers at RomanceScamsNOW.com and ScamsNOW.com
• Global Cyber Alliance ACT Cybersecurity Tool Website: Actionable Cybersecurity Tools (ACT) (globalcyberalliance.org)
• Self-Help Books for Scam Victims are at shop.AgainstScams.org
• Donate to SCARS and help us help others at donate.AgainstScams.org
• Worldwide Crisis Hotlines: International Suicide Hotlines – OpenCounseling : OpenCounseling
• Campaign To End Scam Victim Blaming – 2024 (scamsnow.com)

More:

• The Cost Of Global Cybercrime (scamsnow.com)
• Government Impersonation Scams Are On The Rise! (scamsnow.com)
• Inside India’s Scam Call Centers (romancescamsnow.com)
• Another Scammer Kingpin Arrested In India (romancescamsnow.com)
• BBC Tech Tent PODCAST Presented By SCARS™ :: Indian Call Centre Scam Shut Down And More (romancescamsnow.com)
• Indian IRS Scams – How They Work? (romancescamsnow.com)

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