Police has arrested Eighty-four people, including 12 women who were allegedly running a fake call centre in east Delhi’s Jagatpuri. The accused have cheated thousands of the US citizens by reportedly impersonating employees of a leading e-commerce company and offering assistance in solving issues regarding the company’s services.
According to police they have seized 93 laptops, four computers and two SUVs, in addition to ₹64.30 lakh cash, from the accused.
Mannu Singh Panwar who is presently lodged in Haryana’s Bhiwani Jail for his alleged involvement in a murder case is the brains behind the operation. According to police, Panwar was liquor vend contractor who was previously arrested in September 2020 for running a similar fake call center in Gurugram.
DCP Sathiyasundaram explained the process used by accused to cheat. According to him the fraudsters used to send a fictitious message to the mobile and e-mails of unsuspecting customer, mentioning the deposit of USD 1,000 to their accounts. When customers called to enquire about the deposit, the accused allegedly informed them that their social security number was hacked and asked them to purchase gift cards to restore it.
“Once the victims purchased the gift cards, worth a minimum USD 99, the accused immediately redeemed it and diverted it to their account… We have initiated legal action against the owner of the premises for allowing such illegal activities and violating DDMA’s Covid guidelines. Accordingly, proceedings have also been initiated to seal the premises as per law,” said Sathiyasundaram.
