Chandauli: A joint cyber police operation has busted an alleged international fake call centre operating from the Mughalsarai area of Chandauli and arrested five accused from the spot. Police said the group allegedly targeted foreign nationals, mainly Japanese citizens and particularly elderly people, by posing as technical support representatives of Microsoft and Apple.
According to police, the accused used Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, software to contact potential victims while displaying the Japanese country code +81, making the calls appear locally connected to Japan. The suspects allegedly used this method to gain the trust of victims before convincing them to provide access to their computers and digital devices.
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The accused allegedly used remote-access tools including Zoiper5 and LogMeIn Rescue to gain control of victims’ systems. Once access was obtained, the group allegedly reached information connected with online banking accounts and used it to carry out cyber fraud.
Japanese Citizens Targeted Through Fake Tech Support
Police said the gang’s main targets were Japanese citizens, particularly elderly people who could be more vulnerable to fraudulent technical support calls.
The callers allegedly presented themselves as representatives providing technical assistance for Microsoft and Apple products. Through the use of VoIP software, the suspects allegedly displayed Japanese dialing credentials while contacting victims.
After establishing communication, the accused allegedly persuaded victims to permit remote access to their devices. Police said the suspects then used remote-access software to enter computers or other systems and gain access to information connected with online banking.
The alleged operation was designed to give the appearance of a legitimate technical support service while the accused accessed sensitive information belonging to victims.
19 Desktops, Laptops and Mobile Phones Recovered
During the raid, police recovered 19 desktop computer systems, three laptops, six mobile phones, network routers and forged Aadhaar cards from the alleged call centre.
The cyber team also identified computer systems that were active at the time of the operation. Investigators secured RAM dumps from these systems so that the data could be subjected to further forensic examination.
RAM dumps can preserve information present in a computer’s active memory at a particular point in time. In this case, police said the preserved material would be used during the forensic analysis of the systems recovered from the premises.
The digital devices, mobile phones and network equipment seized during the operation are expected to form an important part of the technical examination of the alleged fraud network.
Details of Around 100 Japanese Numbers Found
Preliminary technical analysis of the seized systems reportedly revealed information connected with around 100 Japanese mobile numbers, along with banking-related details.
Police also identified two bank accounts linked to one of the accused. Approximately ₹9 lakh lying in those accounts has been frozen as part of the investigation.
The operation was carried out through coordinated action involving Cyber Commando Manish Singh of the Varanasi Zone Cyber Cell, SI Ashish Mishra, SI Arjun Singh, and personnel from the SOG, surveillance unit and Chandauli cyber team.
Police said the coordinated technical and field operation led to the detection of the alleged international cyber fraud network and the arrest of five people operating from the Mughalsarai area. The recovered digital evidence, including the RAM dumps and banking-related information, will now be examined further as part of the investigation.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
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