“Riz IT Solution” operated from Madhapur; International tech-support fraud unearthed, 9 suspects arrested, more links under probe
New Delhi – In a major breakthrough against cross-border cyber fraud, the Cyberabad Police have busted a fake call centre operating from Hyderabad’s Madhapur area that allegedly defrauded Australian citizens through a sophisticated “tech-support scam.” Operating under the name Riz IT Solution, the centre is believed to have siphoned off ₹8–10 crore from foreign nationals over the past two years. Police have arrested nine individuals, while several others are suspected to be part of the network.
How the international scam functioned
According to Cyber Crime officials, the accused ran a meticulously planned fraud operation targeting elderly and vulnerable Australians. The process typically began with fake security-alert emails and messages, claiming that the recipient’s phone or laptop was at risk of being hacked. The message then urged them to immediately contact a “customer support helpline” for assistance.
Once the victims called the number, call-centre workers posing as technical support experts created a sense of panic and urgency. They would persuade victims to download a remote-access application, citing it as a tool to “protect” their device. However, the application granted the fraudsters full control over the victim’s device.
With remote access secured, the accused would secretly navigate the victim’s online banking apps, extract sensitive financial information and siphon funds from their accounts. Police officials say that in many cases the victims remained unaware until days later, as the withdrawals were executed discreetly and routed through several accounts.
Money moved to India via hawala channels
Investigations reveal that the stolen money did not come directly to India. Instead, the fraudsters first transferred the funds into bank accounts of Indian-origin individuals living in Australia. These individuals acted as “money mules”. From their accounts, the funds were moved through illegal hawala channels and eventually landed in India.
Police have identified Praveen and Prakash, two brothers, as the masterminds behind the operation. They reportedly set up the call centre last year, hiring nearly seven employees from Kolkata and training them specifically for the scam. Investigators say the workers were taught scripted dialogues, psychological manipulation tactics, and step-by-step instructions on how to coerce victims into downloading remote-access software.
Huge cache of digital evidence seized
During the raid, authorities seized laptops, desktops, mobile phones, hard drives and server systems used to run the illegal centre. In addition, the police have frozen 45 Australian bank accounts linked to the fraudulent transactions. Preliminary findings suggest that the gang may have used nearly 100 bank accounts over the last two years to launder funds and evade detection.
The digital forensics team is also examining the devices to determine the full extent of the operation, including whether the accused had links in other countries, the exact number of victims, and how the fraud network communicated across borders.
Cyberabad Police issues public advisory
Highlighting the scale of the operation, Cyberabad Police have urged the public—especially senior citizens and individuals working abroad—to stay vigilant. The advisory includes the following key points:
- Do not trust customer care numbers mentioned in unsolicited emails or messages.
- Never install unknown remote-access apps on your device.
- Do not share banking OTPs, login details or device passwords with anyone over phone or email.
- Report suspicious international calls or financial activity to the police immediately.
More arrests likely; international links suspected
Officials believe the fraud ring may extend beyond India and Australia, and international cybercrime agencies are expected to collaborate in the ongoing investigation. Police say that more arrests are likely in the coming days, as evidence points toward a wider network of handlers, tech-support callers and hawala operators.
Cyberabad Police have classified the case as a “high-priority cyber fraud investigation”, emphasising that dismantling international call-centre scams remains one of their top enforcement goals.
