Delhi Police have apprehended eleven individuals in connection with an illegal international call centre allegedly involved in defrauding American victims of approximately Rs 100 crore through a tech-support scam. Officials announced these developments on Thursday, providing insights into the operation that has drawn considerable attention.

The Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit conducted a raid on September 21 at a rented space in Pitampura, New Delhi, where the call centre was reportedly functioning. The police discovered that the operation occupied the third and fourth floors of the building, leading to a significant seizure of both cash and electronic devices.

According to the authorities, the raid resulted in the recovery of Rs 41 lakh in cash, along with 29 laptops, 25 mobile phones, eight routers, and an SUV. Following the operation, a case was registered on September 22 at the Special Cell police station, under applicable sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.

Details of the Scam

Police investigations revealed that the syndicate used a fraudulent tech-support strategy aimed at individuals in the United States. Allegedly, members of the group took control of victims’ computers by installing malware remotely, prompting them with pop-up messages that instructed them to call a toll-free number for assistance.

Upon making the call, victims were allegedly redirected to the Pitampura call centre via a soft-phone application. The call centre operators purportedly followed predetermined scripts, posing as technical support staff. Victims were led to believe that their computers had been compromised, ultimately persuading them to download software that allowed the scammers remote access.

Further deception ensued when victims were informed that their bank accounts were also under threat. They were then transferred to an individual impersonating a bank official, who manipulated them into purchasing gift cards or transferring cryptocurrency to resolve the alleged issues.

Arrests and Future Actions

The individuals arrested have been identified as Kawal Preet Singh alias Sunny Singh, 43; Prashant Nanda, 29; Akshat Singh alias Shivam, 25; Chitra Narah, 27; Rohan Jairath, 31; Gaurav Saklani, 24; Sachin Ghildiyal alias Sachin Sharma, 26; Irshad Rahman, 22; Navneet alias Naveen, 28; Nigthoujam, 25; and Phebo Wangshu, 27. Their alleged roles in the operation included feigning identities and leveraging fake communications to intimidate victims.

Investigators have indicated that the IFSO team initiated the raid based on intelligence and surveillance operations that provided concrete leads regarding the call centre’s illegal activities. They confirmed the identification of additional key members of the syndicate, both domestically and internationally, and have announced ongoing efforts to apprehend these individuals.

The case highlights an intricate network centred around a technology-based fraud scheme designed to exploit American victims. Police have been actively working to dismantle the operation and provide justice for those affected by these fraudulent activities.

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