Goemkarponn Desk
MORJIM: Crime Branch along with Cyber Crime Cell of the Goa Police has busted a fake call center racket operating from a Morjim hotel in which 13 persons have been arrested.
Based on specific information received regarding operation of a fake call centre defrauding Americans, a combined team of Cyber Crime & Crime was formed led by PIs Rahul Parab, Narayan Chimulkar and PSIs Devendra Pingle & Rohan Nageshkar.
Upon verification, a raid was conducted at premises identified as Eden Hotel in Morjim where a full fledged call centre was found operating.
Upon raid, 13 persons including mastermind were apprehended and seizure of electronic devices including 12 computers and laptops was done.
Upon analysis of evidence and preliminary interrogation it is found that they were defrauding American nationals by impersonating US govt agents and telling them that their Social Security Numbers (SSN) were going to be blocked as they were found in criminal investigation. The victims were then coerced to settle the matter by paying fines in the form of Cash vouchers which were then converted to Bitcoin and used by the fraudsters.
The accused persons are mainly from Gujarat & Mumbai and had taken the premises on rent and had just started operating recently.
Further technical and forensic investigations are ongoing.