The Cyberabad Police successfully busted a fake international call centre operating in the Madhapur area of Hyderabad. The police identified that the call centre had been targeting Australian citizens for the past two years, cheating them out of an estimated Rs 8 crore to Rs 10 crore. The fraudulent operations were carried out under the guise of an IT services firm named “Ridge IT Solutions.” A joint operation by the Cyberabad Special Operation Team (SOT) and Cyber Crime Police resulted in the arrest of a total of 9 individuals, with investigations ongoing into the roles of others involved.
Modus Operandi and Money Laundering
The fraudsters operated by sending fake pop-ups and emails to Australian citizens, terrifying them into believing their computers had been hacked. When the victims called the “customer care” number provided in the pop-up, they would be connected directly to the fake call centre. The fraudsters would then convince the victims to install remote access software like AnyDesk, allowing them to steal bank details and siphon off money. The illegal proceeds were initially deposited into the bank accounts of Indian students/individuals in Australia before being routed to India through hawala channels and cryptocurrency, police disclosed.
Key Accused Arrested and Police Advisory
The police identified two relatives from Khammam district, Praveen and Prakash, as the main masterminds of the racket. They had recruited seven tele-callers from Kolkata and provided them with training in cyber fraud. During the raid, police seized crucial evidence, including 12 computers, 21 mobile phones, routers, and an expensive car. Police issued a warning to students and NRIs abroad, advising them not to share their bank account details with anyone. They also urged victims of cyber fraud to immediately call the helpline number 1930.
