A fraudulent call center has been ceased by the Mohali police. Police arrested 37 people running this call center in Phase 8-B, industrial area, they were involved in defrauding foreigners. Dr Sandeep Garg, Senior Superintendent of Police in Mohali spearheaded the burst.
The scam involved a well-rehearsed method. According to SSP Garg, the gang would send fake emails to foreign individuals, typically targeting their PayPal accounts. These emails would claim suspicious transactions and provide a fake customer care number for assistance. Unsuspecting victims contacting the number would be manipulated into purchasing gift cards to “secure” their accounts. The scammers would then trick the victims into revealing the gift card codes, effectively stealing their money.
The police acted on a tip-off regarding a suspicious IT company named Webtap Private Limited operating from Kailash Tower in Mohali. A dedicated team was formed under the supervision of DSP (City) Mohit Aggarwal, comprising Inspector Sukhbir Singh and SHO Abhishek Sharma. Following a thorough investigation, the authorities raided the location, uncovering the fake call center operation.
The raid resulted in the apprehension of 37 individuals, including the masterminds of the operation – Kaivin Patel and Parteek Dudhat, both hailing from Gujarat. Interestingly, SSP Garg revealed that a majority of the other arrested individuals belonged to India’s North Eastern states.
The police seized a significant amount of evidence during the raid, including 45 laptops equipped with headphones and microphones – likely used for communication with victims –, 59 mobile phones (23 used for business and 36 personal), and a black Mercedes-Benz car (DL-08-CAK 5520). This car could potentially be an asset acquired through illegal activities.
The accused are now prepared to be charged under several clauses of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). These include sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), and 420 (cheating) among others. This multifaceted strategy guarantees that those behind such acts face serious prison time.
The swift reaction of Mohali Police is a reminder of the constant danger posed by online scammers. It is essential to be alert to suspected e-mails and phones, especially those that demand quick response or require any kind of money transactions.
