ED busts Rs 130 crore illegal call centre scam targeting US citizens; freezes 30 bank accounts, seizes 8 luxury cars- See pics | India News
NEW DELHI: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Gurugram Zonal Office, busted a scam where a group of youngsters started illegal call centers and cheated US citizens for more than $15 million (over Rs 130 crore) in just 2-3 years.On Wednesday, the ED carried out search operations at seven locations in Gurugram and New Delhi, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with an ongoing probe into an illegal call centre scam.The ED’s investigation has so far identified three key individuals: Arjun Gulati, Divyansh Goel, and Abhinav Kalra. These individuals are accused of running illegal call centres in Noida and Gurugram, masquerading as technical support providers to deceive their victims, ED said on Saturday in a statement. The accused allegedly gained unauthorized access to the victims’ bank accounts, transferring funds to multiple foreign accounts before routing them back to India through a complex web of transactions involving over 200 bank accounts. The investigation has uncovered that the accused defrauded victims of approximately US$ 15 million (Rs 1,30,95,89,601) during November 2022 to April 2024.During the search operations, the ED found various incriminating documents and digital records, providing crucial insights into the fraud’s modus operandi, which were seized also. Statements from key individuals involved in the cyber scam have been recorded. Additionally, 30 bank accounts linked to the accused have been frozen, and authorities have seized eight luxury cars and numerous high-value luxury watches. The accused are reported to have lived in opulent homes, allegedly purchased with the proceeds of their illegal activities, and have acquired assets worth over Rs. 100 crore.See photo:
The investigation was initiated on the basis of an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), IOD, Delhi, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the Information Technology Act, 2000. The FIR alleged that unknown accused persons, in criminal conspiracy with one another, had been operating illegal call centres in New Delhi and adjoining areas with the intent of defrauding victims—mainly United States nationals—through technology support scams between November 2022 and April 2024.
