PANCHKULA POLICE BUSTED FAKE INTERNATIONAL CALL CENTER, DUPING FOREIGNERS, 21 ARREASTED REMANDED TO SEVEN DAYS POLICE CUSTODY

Police Raid Fake International Call Center in Panchkula: Gang Defrauding Foreign Citizens in the Name of Amazon Busted; 21 Accused Arrested, 4 Masterminds on 7-Day Police Remand, 19 Computer Systems, 3 Laptops, 16 Headsets, 2 POS Machines, 3 Walkie-Talkie Sets, 2 Wi-Fi Routers, Currency Counting Machine, ₹11.30 Lakh Cash, Fake Foreign Currency, Gold Jewellery, Diamonds, and Other Important Documents and Electronic Devices RecoveredM Investigation Reveals Hawala Network, Crypto Transactions, Movement of Fraud Proceeds from Foreign Victims, and Involvement of Other Associates

Face2News/Panchkula

In a major crackdown on cybercrime, Panchkula Police have busted a fake international call center operating from Sector-2, Panchkula. The call center was allegedly targeting citizens of the United States by impersonating employees of Amazon and defrauding them of large sums of money.

Acting on specific intelligence, teams from the Cyber Crime Police Station, State Cyber Team, and various Crime Units conducted a late-night joint raid. During the operation, 21 individuals, including four key accused, were arrested from the fake call center functioning on the first floor of a building in Sector-2.

The four main accused were produced before the court and have been remanded to seven days of police custody.
During the raid, police found a large number of young men and women engaged in conversations with foreign nationals using laptops, headsets, and internet-based software.

Investigation revealed that the accused received calls through specialized software and posed as customer service representatives of Amazon USA. They would obtain personal information from victims and persuade them to download remote-access applications such as AnyDesk. This allowed the fraudsters to gain access to the victims’ computer systems, mislead them into purchasing gift cards, and later redeem those gift cards through various channels for financial gain.

According to DCP Crime and Traffic Amarinder Singh, the police recovered 19 computer systems, 3 laptops, 16 headsets, 2 POS machines, 3 walkie-talkie sets, 2 Wi-Fi routers, a currency-counting machine, an official stamp, a hardware crypto wallet, cash amounting to ₹11.30 lakh, counterfeit foreign currency, gold jewellery, diamond earrings, chains, bracelets, and several important documents and electronic devices from the premises.
Preliminary investigation has further revealed that the illegal earnings were being transferred to different states through hawala networks and cryptocurrency channels.

Among the 21 arrested individuals, the four main accused are: Raja Siddiqui (Kolkata/Mohali), Akshay alias Tikku (Delhi/Panchkula), Navdeep Bedi alias Raj Bedi (Batala, Punjab/Panchkula), Ankur Kapoor (Panchkula), All four have been placed on seven days of police remand.

The remaining 17 accused include 5 women and 12 men from Chandigarh, Mohali, Punjab, Bihar, Haryana, Delhi, Kolkata, and other states. They were employed as computer operators at the call center and have been released on bail.

Initial investigations indicate that the gang recruited young individuals from various states and operated an organized cyber fraud network targeting foreign citizens.
According to the DCP Crime, several important disclosures have emerged during interrogation.

Investigators have uncovered details relating to hawala operations, cryptocurrency transactions, the movement of funds obtained through fraud, and the involvement of additional associates. Police teams are preparing to conduct raids in other states based on information provided by the accused, and further arrests are expected.

A case has been registered under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Information Technology Act, and the Telecommunications Act, and a detailed investigation is ongoing.

Police Commissioner Pankaj Nain stated that organized gangs tarnishing India’s image by targeting foreign citizens will not be spared under any circumstances. He emphasized that the investigation is focusing on advanced technological methods, cryptocurrency transactions, and hawala networks.

The primary objective is to uncover the entire network and bring every individual involved to justice. He further affirmed that the campaign against cybercrime will continue with full force and determination.