CBI Discovers and Apprehends Sham Amazon Technical Support Hub in Maharashtra, Five Individuals Detained
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has dismantled a sophisticated cybercrime syndicate operating a fake Amazon technical support call center in a resort in Igatpuri, Nashik, Maharashtra. The operation has led to the arrest of five Mumbai-based individuals and the disruption of an illegal enterprise composed of six accused individuals.
The arrested individuals are Vishal Yadav, Shebaz, Durgesh, Abhay alias Raja, and Sameer alias Kalia alias Sohail. They are accused of orchestrating a financial fraud targeting citizens mainly in the United States and Canada.
The scammers ran an illegal call center masquerading as Amazon Support Services, employing around 60 operators assigned roles such as callers, verifiers, and closers to execute the fraud. The call center functioned from the Rain Forest Resort in Igatpuri, Nashik, and mimicked legitimate corporate technical support.
The fraudulent calls involved impersonation of Amazon technical support staff to gain victims' trust and elicit sensitive information or payments. The network bilked foreign nationals by charging money via gift cards and cryptocurrencies, which were laundered following the scams.
During the CBI raid, 62 employees were caught working with live calls in progress. Evidence seized included 44 laptops, 71 mobile phones, Rs 1.2 crore in cash, 500 grams of gold, seven luxury cars valued around Rs 1 crore, cryptocurrency transactions worth about 5,000 USDT, and gift vouchers worth 2,000 Canadian dollars.
The FIR named six Mumbai-based accused and mentioned unknown bank officials and other private individuals as conspirators. The CBI's statement alleged that the accused entered into a criminal conspiracy and committed financial fraud by impersonation and making phishing calls.
The cyber criminal network bilked citizens of the United States and Canada in a meticulously constructed and elaborate deception. Investigations are ongoing to identify additional conspirators and trace the complete money trail.
- The sophisticated cybercrime syndicate, dismantled by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), was operating under the guise of a fake Amazon technical support call center, using advanced technology in the general-news realm of cybersecurity.
- The crime-and-justice ramifications of this operation extend beyond the arrest of the five Mumbai-based individuals, as the network's deception targeted citizens primarily in the United States and Canada, exploiting vulnerabilities in technology for financial gain.
