Daijiworld Media Network – Belagavi
Belagavi, Nov 14: In a major crackdown, police in Belagavi have busted a fake call centre that allegedly cheated American nationals through online trading scams and arrested 33 individuals, including five women, officials said on Thursday.
The operation followed a tip-off from the Internal Security Division (ISD), Bengaluru, three days ago, and an additional anonymous complaint received on Wednesday regarding suspicious activities at the location.
According to Belagavi city police commissioner Borase Bhushan Gulabrao, the fake call centre targeted American citizens by offering fraudulent online trading schemes and enticing them with fake mobile offers to extract money.
During the raid, police seized 37 laptops and 37 mobile phones used in the fraudulent activities. “The accused made multiple calls to American citizens using specialised software to mask their real location and display fake caller IDs. They used virtual numbers and spoofing tools to hide their identity,” commissioner Gulabrao said.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the arrested individuals hailed from Assam, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal, along with one person from Nepal.
The main kingpin of the racket is believed to be operating from Gujarat, while two other key associates are based in West Bengal. Police teams have launched efforts to trace and apprehend them.
Authorities said the call centre had been active since March this year and was planning to expand its operations across other cities.
A case has been registered under Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, along with Section 319 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Since the victims were foreign nationals, additional charges under Section 75 of the IT Act and Sections 48 and 49 of the BNS, which extend India’s jurisdiction to offences committed outside the country, have also been invoked.
Based on the complaint, police raided the call centre operating from Kumar Hall, Bauxite Road, Belagavi, and dismantled the illegal setup.