MUMBAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has uncovered an alleged online cyber-fraud network that targeted people living in the United States, cheating several American citizens of a total of $827,826.50 (around ₹7.48 crore) since 2023 through an illegal call centre operating out of Delhi.
According to the agency’s investigation, operatives of the network allegedly posed as representatives of banks and US law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service, to contact potential victims.
CBI sources said the victims were falsely told that bank accounts opened in their names were being used for money laundering and that they were under criminal investigation. To “clear” their names, the accused allegedly instructed victims to purchase gift cards and share the card numbers, or deposit cash into Bitcoin ATMs using crypto wallet addresses provided by the fraudsters.
Last Friday, the CBI carried out searches at 35 locations across several states, including Maharashtra, as part of a wider crackdown on three cyber-fraud networks targeting Indians as well as people living abroad. During the operation, officials arrested an alleged key operative of the network, P Peter, from the spot.
Electronic devices such as laptops, mobile phones and computer hard disks containing incriminating digital evidence were seized from the accused, the agency said.
The CBI registered a case on Thursday against Peter and unknown others under sections related to criminal conspiracy, cheating, cheating by personation using communication devices or computer resources under the Indian Penal Code, and provisions of the Information Technology Act.
The probe has revealed that one of the US victims, identified as M Taylor, was contacted on May 11, 2023, by an accused posing as a representative of a foreign bank. The call was later transferred to another accused who claimed to be an FBI agent and told Taylor that her identity had been stolen. She was allegedly induced to transfer $3,700 ( ₹3,33,999) to the accused through gift cards.
In another instance, a second US victim, R Valle, was approached on June 16, 2023, by an accused impersonating a bank employee and later an FBI agent. Valle was allegedly told that his identity had been misused for illegal activities and that he needed to cooperate by purchasing gift cards to legitimise his money. Acting on the inducement, the victim transferred $1,000 ( ₹90,400) to the accused, investigators said.