Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: In a major crackdown on cyber fraud operations, the Goa Crime Branch busted two fake call centres operating from Panaji and Dona Paula and arrested 19 accused persons allegedly involved in cheating citizens from the United States through fake loan schemes and gift card scams.
According to police, the first offence was registered on April 29 at 11.42 am at the Crime Branch Police Station based on a complaint filed by Police Inspector Tushar G. Lotliker of Crime Branch Ribandar.
Police said the accused had allegedly set up a fake call centre at Apartment No. 104, First Floor, Dukle Elite, St. Inez, Panaji, where they procured personal details of US citizens and contacted them by posing as loan company agents.
Investigators stated that the accused used laptops, VPN services and the EYEBEAM application to make calls to US citizens and allegedly induced them to transfer large amounts of money through gift cards including Sephora, Macy’s, Green Dot Money Pack, Apple Gift Cards, Razergold and Xbox cards under the pretext of providing instant loans.
The accused arrested in the St. Inez operation include Yash Dessai, Karan Mala, Mihir Desai, Sajjan and several others from Gujarat, Assam and Delhi.
During the raid, police seized seven laptops, seven computer mouse devices, seven headphones, seven laptop chargers, 13 mobile phones and a Maruti Ciaz car collectively valued at approximately Rs 30 lakh.
In a second operation conducted on April 29 between 5 am and 12.15 pm, a Crime Branch team led by PI Manguesh Valvaikar along with PSI Amin A. Naik raided another fake call centre functioning from Villa Solace Kapur at Dona Paula in Tiswadi.
Police said the accused in this case allegedly impersonated loan company agents and contacted US citizens through Google Voice applications using internet-based calling systems connected through EthernetXpress internet services.
The accused allegedly convinced victims to pay money in the form of gift cards by promising instant loans and financial assistance.
Ten accused persons from Gujarat, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Maharashtra were arrested in the Dona Paula raid, including the alleged mastermind identified as Shelat Asim Yunushbhai alias Ajju from Ahmedabad.
Police seized eight laptops, two LAN router connectors, 11 mobile phones and three vehicles collectively valued at approximately Rs 64.70 lakh.
Both offences have been registered under Sections 319(2), 318(4) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 along with Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act.
Further investigation is being carried out by PI Manguesh Valvaikar under the supervision of SP Crime Branch Rahul Gupta, IPS.
