Dark web: 84 arrested as fake call centre busted in Noida for duping US citizens
Noida: Noida Police have busted a fake call centre and arrested 84 persons, including employees of the call centre, for allegedly duping foreign residents, officials said on Thursday.
The arrest was made from the call centre which was running from A-block in sector 6 under Phase-I police station area of Noida. Police said that the gang would dupe American citizens through gift cards and crypto currency by inducing false fear of criminal activities related to their social security number, said police.
“Those arrested include women and men aged between 25-35 year and graduates. Most of them have fluent English-speaking skills so they easily trick foreign residents while speaking to them over phone,” said a senior police officer.
Harish Chander, DCP, Noida said that the gang would use dark web to access details of foreign residents and make calls by using software through IVR.
“They would send bulk voice messages to mobile numbers claiming themselves to be from the Security Administration Department of US informing that their bank account has been seized for their involvement in criminal activities. A helpline number was also given in the voice message sent. Once, a person dials the number, the call at the telecaller and the whole fraud then begins,” said Chander.
The officer said that they would follow the same script to dupe people. “First they would ask for basic details from the caller and then start threatening him in the name of legal actions that can be taken against him or her over their (alleged) involvement in a criminal case,” added Chander. Divulging more details into the case, the DCP provided the script used by the accused persons. They would say “We have found an abandoned car on the south border of Texas and the car contains some blood and drug residues inside it. After investigation we found that the car was rented on your name and on your personal social information. If you are saying that you are not involved in this case and your identity has been misused so have you ever reported this to police? Legal actions will be taken against you”.
“I believe that someone has misused your identity but we can help you. Your bank account is being seized. If you want to save your money, you will have to withdraw your money from the account. You have to convert to crypto currency or gift card to save your money,” the script said.
The DCP said that if the caller agrees to buy this crypto currency, then a one-time code is given, through which the caller’s money comes to the fraudulent account. If he agrees to buy a gift card, then after receiving the gift card number, the accused would go to the website available on the internet and convert the received gift card code and crypto currency and transfer it to their account. “We are trying to find out the number of people duped by the gang in this manner and the amount involved,” he further said.
