Bengaluru | A major international cyber fraud racket operating through fake call centers has been uncovered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. In a coordinated crackdown, officials from the Cyber Command Centre raided four different locations across the city and arrested two accused allegedly involved in running fraudulent call centeers in the name of the popular American accounting and tax software company QuickBooks.
According to investigators, the accused were posing as authorised technical support executives, tax consultants and licence service providers to contact foreign citizens, particularly in the United States. Authorities alleged that call center agents cheated victims by offering fake tax consultation services, fraudulent software licence renewals, artificial licence keys and other deceptive digital assistance schemes. Officials believe the operation was part of a highly organised international cyber fraud model targeting overseas victims.
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Investigating agencies identified the arrested accused as Prashant, a resident of Delhi, and Akash from Uttar Pradesh. Both are suspected to have played key roles in managing the illegal call center operations and coordinating fraudulent communication with foreign customers. Authorities suspect the network may involve several additional individuals, and further investigation is currently underway.
During the raids, Cyber Command officials seized a large quantity of electronic devices and digital evidence linked to the operation. The recovered items included two mobile phones, two laptops, nine CPUs, 44 SSDs (Solid State Drives) and handwritten script notebooks allegedly used by call centre agents while speaking to victims abroad. Investigators stated that these scripts were designed to gain the trust of foreign customers and persuade them to make payments in the name of technical or financial assistance.
Officials further revealed that the accused were allegedly operating through a shell company named “Circle Square LLC.” Investigators suspect the company was used as a front to establish contact with American citizens and route fraud proceeds into multiple bank accounts associated with the accused and their associates. Authorities are now closely examining banking records, digital wallet transactions and international payment channels connected to the racket.
Cyber crime experts say international tech support and tax assistance scams have increased significantly in recent years, particularly with the rise of remote customer service platforms and digital financial services. Renowned cyber crime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said such gangs often rely heavily on social engineering tactics, fake customer support identities and the misuse of trusted global brand names to manipulate victims. According to him, fraudsters use VOIP-based calling systems, fabricated business profiles and digital payment networks to present themselves as legitimate service providers, making it easier to deceive unsuspecting users.
Digital forensic specialists believe the seized SSDs and computer systems may contain crucial evidence such as call recordings, email exchanges, payment logs, customer databases and details of possible international collaborators. Investigators are now trying to determine whether the Bengaluru-based operation had links with a larger global cyber fraud syndicate operating across multiple countries.
Sources indicated that the accused were running the network from four separate locations in Bengaluru, all of which were projected as legitimate business support and customer service centers to avoid suspicion. Officials stated that specialised software tools and pre-designed calling scripts were being used to contact foreign nationals and convince them to purchase fake services or software support packages.
Cyber crime analysts say fake tech support and tax fraud schemes have become a growing global concern, especially in countries where digital financial transactions and remote customer support services are widely used. Experts warn that AI-assisted calling systems, VOIP technology and advanced digital payment methods have made such cyber fraud networks increasingly sophisticated and harder to trace. Investigating agencies are currently conducting forensic examinations of the seized digital devices and tracing financial transactions, bank accounts and other individuals who may be connected to the international fraud network.
