- The Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched an investigation into a major online fraud by a fake call centre in Pune.
- The scam targeted American citizens and involved cryptocurrencies and digital gift cards for transactions.
- Authorities raided the operation in Pune’s Kharadi area, detaining 123 individuals and arresting five key suspects.
- Victims were extorted through fake threats related to law enforcement and paid daily sums between $30,000 and $40,000.
- Police seized electronic evidence and are working with international agencies to track digital funds and uncover the masterminds.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has begun a separate probe into an international scam run out of a fake call centre in Pune’s Kharadi area. The centre allegedly deceived American citizens, handling large sums via cryptocurrencies and digital gift cards. Authorities say the scam took millions of U.S. dollars.
A senior Crime Branch official confirmed the action. An ED team has collected all case-related records, including the First Information Report (FIR) and supporting documents. The agency reported the case to the Intelligence Bureau (IB) because the fraud involved international operations.
Police raided the call centre overnight between May 23 and 24, detaining 123 people—among them 12 women. According to officials, 118 of those held were tele-callers. Investigators described the operation: tele-callers pretended to be American law enforcement officers, contacted U.S. citizens, accused them of crimes like narcotics trafficking or financial fraud, and threatened them with “digital arrest.” Victims were told to pay thousands of dollars to avoid these invented consequences.
“The call centre was pulling in daily extortion sums ranging from $30,000 to $40,000,” one officer said. Because of the volume and global flow of funds, the ED stepped in to trace cryptocurrency channels and illicit financial activity.
Police arrested five men on May 24: Sarjitsingh Girawatsingh Shekhawat (26), Abhishek Ajaykumar Pande (29), Shrimay Paresh Shah (31), Laxman Amarsingh Shekhawat (28), and Aron Arumugan Christian (29). All five had lived in Kharadi for the past year and originally come from Rajasthan and Gujarat. Authorities say they managed the operation out of rented space arranged through a tenancy agreement in Jaipur.
Police seized electronic evidence, such as pen drives, mobile phones, and laptops from the suspects’ homes. “We’ve also obtained banking details that are now being analyzed to trace the money trail,” a Crime Branch official stated.
Officers believe the call centre bought U.S. citizens’ personal data, possibly from the dark web. They also recovered written scripts used by the staff during extortion calls.
According to the police, the fake call centre began operations in July 2024. All 123 individuals found at the site have been named in the FIR. Police are searching for three additional suspects, including two suspected masterminds.
As the investigation continues, agencies are focusing on tracing international money flows and dismantling the transnational cyber extortion network.
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