Deeg police have busted an alleged online fraud call centre operating from Uttam Nagar in Delhi and arrested 64 people, including 33 women.
Two minors were also detained during the operation. Police recovered 88 mobile phones, forged bank identification cards, visiting cards and a large database containing customers’ banking and personal information.
According to investigators, the accused allegedly posed as officials of private banks and contacted people under the pretext of offering credit cards and other financial services. During these conversations, they allegedly sought sensitive information including OTPs, CVVs, PAN details and KYC documents.
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Fake Bank IDs Triggered the Investigation
The investigation began after Phool Singh, manager of an Axis Bank branch in Deeg, filed a complaint on August 20 over forged bank identification cards and visiting cards.
Police subsequently traced the documents to Akash Rathaur, a resident of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh. He was allegedly involved in sending forged Axis Bank documents to a customer through WhatsApp.
The customer alerted a bank employee, following which the bank’s vigilance team examined the documents and found them to be fake. Rathaur was arrested and questioned, and investigators said his interrogation led them towards the alleged call centre operating in Delhi.
83 People Were Initially Questioned
Police said the alleged call centre was being operated under the name Anand Enterprises from a three-storey building in Uttam Nagar.
The raid was conducted late Saturday night with assistance from Delhi Police. Initially, 83 employees and training staff, including 43 women, were questioned.
After the preliminary inquiry, 19 people were released after investigators found no apparent link between them and the alleged fraud. The remaining suspects were taken into custody as police continued examining their individual roles.
Police allege that 47-year-old Saloni Mittal was running the operation. Members of the group allegedly posed as officials of Axis Bank and HDFC Bank while speaking with potential victims.
OTPs, CVVs and KYC Details Allegedly Targeted
Investigators allege that callers asked people for OTPs, CVVs, PAN details and other KYC information while offering credit cards and financial services.
Police suspect that the information could then have been used to open financial instruments remotely or facilitate fraudulent transactions. Investigators are examining whether the information recovered from the premises was actually used to defraud people and, if so, how many victims were affected.
The investigation is also focused on the large database recovered during the raid. Police said it contained customers’ names, addresses, bank account information and PAN numbers.
The presence of such information has raised concerns that the alleged operation may have targeted people beyond Delhi and Rajasthan.
Young Job Seekers Allegedly Recruited Through Portals
According to police, the alleged operation recruited employees through WorkIndia and other employment portals by advertising jobs in a purported company.
Those recruited were allegedly assigned different responsibilities, including callers, trainers, interviewers and team coordinators. Employees were reportedly paid between ₹11,000 and ₹15,000 a month and were allegedly offered additional commissions linked to the amount of money obtained from victims.
Two minors were also detained during the raid. Investigators are examining how they became involved and whether they were recruited through the same employment network.
Police are also looking into the recruitment process to determine who controlled the workforce and how employees were trained to communicate with potential victims.
Crores in Suspicious Transactions Under Investigation
The police said the preliminary investigation has revealed indications of suspicious financial transactions running into crores of rupees.
Investigators are now tracing the money trail to identify the bank accounts, intermediaries and beneficiaries allegedly connected with the operation. Several complaints allegedly linked to the suspected network were also found on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
The seized 88 mobile phones are expected to be important to the investigation. Police are examining call records, messages, customer databases, SIM-card details and other digital evidence to establish how the alleged operation functioned.
Investigators also found forged identification cards bearing the names and details of officials from Axis Bank, Yes Bank and HDFC Bank.
Police have alleged that multiple SIM cards were being used despite being registered in the name of a single person. The communication records are now being examined to determine how the suspected network was coordinated.
The investigation will also establish how long the alleged call centre had been operating, how many people were contacted and whether victims actually suffered financial losses.
Police are continuing to examine the roles of people allegedly involved in recruitment, customer-data handling, account management and coordination of transactions. Further arrests are possible as investigators analyse the seized documents, devices and financial records.
The allegations against those arrested remain subject to investigation and legal proceedings.
What this means for you: A caller claiming to represent a bank should never be given your OTP, CVV, PIN or other confidential banking credentials. If someone offers a credit card or financial service, independently contact the bank through its official website or app before sharing any information.
If you have already shared banking details with a suspected fraudster, contact your bank immediately and report any financial fraud through 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
