The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has busted a major cyber fraud operation running out of a fake call centre at Hi-Tech City, the IT hub of Hyderabad.
The fake call centre, which employs 63 people, was found to be targeting NRIs and US citizens. The operation, conducted by the sleuths of TGCSB, led to the arrest of 63 key suspects.
The accused, working at Exito Solutions, impersonated customer care representatives of PayPal to deceive victims. Using advanced software solutions, they made fraudulent calls and sent phishing emails, specifically targeting PayPal customers based in the United States.
They claim that unauthorised transactions had been made on the victim’s account, tricking them into revealing their sensitive banking details under the pretense of securing a refund or stopping fraudulent activity.
“The victims were tricked into calling a fake fraud prevention team listed in the phishing emails, where scammers pressurised them into sharing bank credentials,” he said.
In some cases, victims were convinced to transfer money to “safe accounts” to prevent further unauthorised transactions, only to realise later that they had been scammed.
“The mastermind behind this cyber fraud operation has been identified as Kaivan Patel Rupesh Kumar, alias Jaddhu/Jadu Bhai, from Gujarat,” a TGCSB statement said.
These individuals were responsible for providing stolen customer data from PayPal and arranging mule bank accounts in the USA, which were used to receive fraudulently obtained money. They have converted illicit funds into cryptocurrency, making the money untraceable.
The employees were recruited using social media platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, offering them a job in a ‘call centre’ for a monthly salary of Rs 30,000.
During the raid, the police recovered 52 mobile phones, and 63 laptops.
How to stay safe
The police asked people not to share their personal or banking details over calls or emails from strangers.
“You must take customer care numbers only from the official websites of service providers or banks. You must also avoid clicking suspicious links or opening attachments in unsolicited emails,” a senior TGCSB official said.
