Twenty people were arrested in the recently uncovered multi-million dollar scam involving call centres in Mumbai and Gujarat. All of the arrested are of Indian origin and a majority of them are from Gujarat.
The crackdown by the US authorities led to five call centres, all based in Ahmedabad, being shut down. Apart from the 20 arrests in the US, 31 arrests have been made in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
The fake call centres had swindled thousands of US citizens of more than $300 million, said US Homeland Security Secretary on 28 October.
Sagar Thakkar, alias Shaggy, is the alleged mastermind behind this scam. He has been on the run ever since news of teams of Thane Police raiding four of his call centres in Mira Road, reached him.
It was also recently reported that he had purchased a high-end Audi, costing Rs. 2.5 crore, from cricketer Virat Kohli to gift to his girlfriend. The Thane police has since seized the car from Ahmedabad.
As per the police, the racket was run through a network of call centres. The telecallers impersonating US officials from the Department of Homeland Security, Internal Revenue Services or other government agencies, would call US taxpayers and ask for payment to clear fictitious arrest warrants, orders of deputation or unpaid income tax.
These callers even "threatened potential victims with arrest, imprisonment, fines or deportation" if they did not co-operate.
(With inputs from The Hindu and Asian Age)
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