NEW DELHI: In a major operation led by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), a fake call center running in the Khanpur area of the national capital has come under the scanner for allegedly defrauding foreign nationals and receiving foreign funding worth approximately Rs 100 crore over the past several years.
The ED conducted simultaneous raids at three places in Delhi late Thursday night, which were ongoing on Friday, as part of its ongoing inquiry into alleged money laundering and foreign exchange offenses.
The call center, so officials of ED claim, was targeting citizens in nations like the United States by pretending to be representatives of well-known international software firms. The accused had reportedly presented themselves as technical support managers of firms like Microsoft Windows, calling unsuspecting international users and scamming them into buying non-genuine or pirated software. These scams were purportedly veiled under the disguise of offering authentic IT support services.
Initial probe has brought to the fore that between 2016–17 and 2024–25, the call center network was gifted foreign remittances totaling almost Rs 100 crore. ED sources believe this money had been passed through several accounts contrary to Indian financial and foreign exchange laws.
The officials further said that the operation could include a larger network of people involved in the fraud, and more revelations are likely to come out as the investigation continues.
Numerous digital devices and documents have been taken during the raids, which can prove to be important leads in tracing the complete money trail and naming other beneficiaries.
The ED, responsible for investigating money laundering offences and defaults under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), is closely scrutinizing the money trail, the functions played by the parties involved, and the modus operandi followed in evading regulatory controls.
Although the identities are yet to be made public, officials said the raids yielded significant evidence of major financial fraud and cross-border cybercrime from Indian soil. The probe continues,
with more details expected.