Int’l call centre scam busted: 5 held, 28L seized in S Kol
Times of India | 12 March 2025
Kolkata: The Bank Fraud Section (BFS) of the Detective Department busted an international call centre scam that operated from two condos in south Kolkata, arrested five persons and seized over Rs 28 lakh, along with hardware and related equipment.
The operation was exposed after the force received a tip-off from a popular YouTuber known for investigating and monitoring fake call centres globally. The YouTuber operates a channel, Scammer Payback, whose videos helped the police carry out the operation.
The fraudulent call centre operated from Active Acres in Tangra. The scammers allegedly targeted foreign nationals, primarily from the US, by posing as representatives of various companies, took control of their devices and manipulating personal and financial information to siphon off money from their bank accounts.
"In one case, a foreign national was cheated of approximately Rs 8.7 lakh ($10,000). The money was seized by us," said Joint CP (Crime & Traffic) Rupesh Kumar. Four suspects — Yaser Iqbal (52), Rayaan Iqbal (22), Anuvab Shaw (29), and Shain Mohammed (32) — were initially arrested from the Active Acres. The first two are residents of Active Acres, the third is a resident of the Chandni Chowk area, and the fourth is a resident of Bright Street. The fifth suspect, Kurt Mansharamai (31), was apprehended later from Greenfield City, Maheshtala. Money and equipment were seized from there was well.
The investigation revealed internet connection records showing high usage of international calls, IPDR (Internet Protocol Detail Record) data confirming calls to US nationals, and CCTV footage documenting suspicious activities. Local testimonies were also collected to strengthen the case. The accused were charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 61(2), 319(2), 318(4), and 308(2), along with sections 66E, 66D, and 66 read with section 43 of the Information Technology Act 2000.
The charges encompass impersonation, cheating, extortion, and unauthorised access to computer systems. They were produced before a local court with a police remand request.