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Navi Mumbai Police have dismantled a large-scale cyber fraud operation after raiding a fake call centre in Turbhe, allegedly responsible for cheating foreign nationals to the tune of ₹12.29 crore. The racket was primarily targeting United States–based individuals through fraudulent investment schemes and malware-driven extortion attempts, officials confirmed on Thursday.
The action was initiated by the Cyber Police Station and the Crime Branch based on an intelligence tip-off received on 18 November. Preliminary investigation revealed that the centre was operating under the names of multiple bogus firms registered using forged credentials.
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Dual Fraud Mechanism: Digital Persuasion and Cyber Intrusion
According to officials, 97 individuals were actively employed at the location when the raid was conducted. The syndicate was found operating through two distinct fraud models:
Investment Fraud Channel: Suspects contacted US citizens through WhatsApp groups, impersonating financial consultants and guaranteeing high returns on stock market investments.
Malware and Ransomware Wing: Another team executed cyber attacks to gain unauthorized access to victims’ devices. By deploying ransomware, they reportedly locked systems and demanded payment to restore access.Investigators stated that the operation was heavily supported by multiple WhatsApp accounts, SIM cards, VPN-based VOIP numbers and fabricated digital identities, making tracing difficult.
Financial Network: 61 Active Bank Accounts Linked to Transactions
Police examined 71 bank accounts linked to the call centre, out of which 61 accounts reflected transactions tied to fraudulent activity amounting to ₹12.29 crore.
The financial pattern was later cross-verified with records from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP), confirming connections to 31 registered complaints of cyber fraud from various locations across the country.
Authorities have since ordered immediate freezing of multiple customer-linked bank accounts.
Seizure of Electronic Evidence
During the search operation, police recovered a substantial volume of digital equipment and records including:
- 108 computer systems
- 38 mobile phones
- 5 GSM VoIP servers
- 84 additional mobile handsets
- 101 SIM cards
- 89 bank passbooks and documentation
Officials added that Look-Out Circulars (LOCs) have been issued to prevent key absconding suspects from leaving the country.
Legal Action and Applicable Sections
A case has been officially registered at the Cyber Police Station, Thane under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including:
- Section 318(4) – Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property
- Section 319(2) – Personation-based cheating
- Section 61(2) – Criminal conspiracy
Provisions under the Information Technology Act, 2000 have also been invoked.
All arrested individuals have been remanded to police custody till 23 November, pending further interrogation.
Investigation Widening; Fraud Scale Expected to Increase
Officials stated that the racket appears to be part of a larger multi-state and international digital crime ecosystem. Digital forensics teams are now analysing seized devices, transaction logs, client databases and encrypted communication channels.
“The operation reflects a large and organized cybercrime network. Further arrests and asset tracing are in progress,” a senior police officer said.
