India Today ·
3 fake call centres busted in Punjab, Maharashtra for duping Americans
The ED detected three live fake call centres in Patiala and Pune allegedly targeting US nationals. The probe is now examining digital evidence, reporting lines and the conversion of dollars into rupees.
The ED detected three live fake call centres in Patiala, Pune and Chandigarh allegedly targeting US nationals. The probe is now examining digital evidence, reporting lines and the conversion of dollars into rupees.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Hyderabad Zonal Office, detected three live call centres allegedly involved in cheating and extorting US nationals during searches conducted at four premises in Patiala, Pune and Chandigarh in connection with an ongoing fake call centre scam investigation.
The searches were carried out on September 15 under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, based on material gathered during the investigation and subsequent field verification.
Around 220 people were found working at the three call centres when the ED teams conducted the searches. Two of the centres were located in Patiala and one in Pune.
According to the ED, the call centres were being operated and controlled by a group of people acting in association with others. The centres were equipped with multiple workstations, cubicles, computers, headsets, mobile phones and networking equipment.
The agency found that employees at the centres were making calls to US nationals and inducing them to make payments under false pretexts.
At the Patiala premises, the call centres were found to be involved in cheating and extorting US nationals. Mobile phones and a laptop recovered from the operators contained data related to the syndicate's modus operandi and the distribution of money generated by defrauding victims.
The ED said the same modus operandi was found at the fake call centre operating from Pune.
The residential premises searched in Chandigarh were allegedly being used by the mastermind to coordinate and control the fake call centres operating in Patiala.
Multiple digital devices containing data related to the functioning of the call centres were recovered from the Chandigarh premises.
The ED also found a person involved in processing and converting proceeds from US dollars into Indian rupees operating from the premises. His role and the related financial transactions are currently under examination.
The identities of the around 220 people found at the call centres, along with their assigned roles and reporting structures, are also being recorded and verified as part of the investigation.
