23 arrested as Maharashtra police unveil fake call centre scam targeting Canadians

Mumbai, July 16: Authorities in Maharashtra's Palghar district have successfully dismantled a fake call centre involved in defrauding individuals in Canada and coercing them into making payments for nonexistent online purchases. The operation, carried out in Nane village of Wada taluka, led to the arrest of 23 individuals allegedly connected to the scam.

Acting on a tip-off, the police raided the call centre, which was operating discreetly from six flats in a housing complex. The fraudsters had strategically chosen this location to avoid arousing suspicion from security agencies. Superintendent of Police (Rural) Balasaheb Patil confirmed that the accused utilized applications such as X-Lite, Eyebeam, and X-ten to illegally obtain contact details of Canadian citizens.

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The fraudsters contacted their victims, posing as representatives handling online purchase orders. Although the victims had not made any such purchases, they were coerced into calling the fake call centre. The scammers employed a predetermined script, threatening legal consequences and criminal actions if the victims failed to comply with their demands. They even used voice calls and robotic calls to obscure their identities and avoid detection.

The police revealed that the scam primarily targeted individuals in Canada, but they suspect that calls may have been made to people in other countries as well. The fraudsters exploited various payment methods, including Bitcoin, to deceive victims into making monetary transactions.

Following the raid, the police arrested 23 individuals directly involved in the operation of the call centre. However, they believe that at least four more individuals were part of the broader network. Law enforcement agencies are actively searching for these remaining suspects. A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Information Technology Act, and the Indian Telegraph Act.

The dismantling of the fake call centre in Palghar highlights the authorities' commitment to combatting fraudulent activities targeting international victims. The investigation into this case continues, as the police strive to bring all involved individuals to justice and ensure the safety and security of online users.

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- With inputs from agencies

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