- 16 people have been arrested in Bengaluru for running a fake call centre
- Suspects operated as Cybits Solutions Pvt Ltd, targeting US citizens through cyber fraud
- Victims were threatened with false charges and coerced into paying money digitally
16 people have been arrested in Bengaluru for running a sophisticated online fraud through a fake call centre.
The suspects, operating as Cybits Solutions Pvt Ltd, lured young men and women from across the country with job offers, trained them in cyber fraud, and directed them to target unsuspecting US citizens.
The victims were threatened with fabricated charges such as drug offences and money laundering, and were told that investigative agencies or police had issued arrest warrants. They were then coerced into paying money to the scammers' accounts by putting them under "digital arrest".
"Preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused uploaded fraudulent job postings on platforms such as Work India and LinkedIn, offering employment and accommodation at call centres claiming to provide online information services to the USA, Canada, and other countries. Young individuals from various states were brought to Bengaluru, with arrangements for accommodation, transport, and food at HSR Layout and BTM Layout. After three weeks of telecaller training, they were instructed to impersonate officials from the US Border Security Force, US Postal Services, and US Customs and Border Protection Force," the Bengaluru Police said in a statement.
"Using live servers, they contacted the public, showed fake police IDs and arrest warrants, and demanded money under the 'Digital Arrest' scam. The amounts collected were deposited into the company's accounts, facilitating the fraudulent activity," the statement added.
Investigators seized 41 computers, 25 mobile phones, multiple routers, switches, Electronic Private Automatic Branch Exchange (EPABX) devices, and other electronic equipment. The team also discovered that the scammers used online applications and scripts posted on Justpaste.it to carry out their calls.
The accused are from Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Gujarat.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and further arrests are possible.
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