Call centers trained employees to speak American accent.
Thane police on Tuesday raided at least three Maharashtra-based call centers situated in Mira road and detained more than 500 employees after they allegedly threatened US citizens and robbed their money.
The raid took place after a team from Thane crime branch and Thane rural police conducted a probe that found the call centers engaged in cheating loan defaulters in the United States.
According to police, the employees working in the call center posed themselves as US Revenue Department officials and the victim will be asked for the bank details after which the caller will hack into the bank account transferring money without the knowledge of the account holder.
Police also confirm that the call centers used a software that hides the number original number and it also ensured that the receiver gets call only from a US number. The defaulters who panic after receiving the would are intimidated and asked to settle the case by floating thousands of dollars.
The call centers were also training the employees to speak American accent and were also given a daily target to achieve. According to Police, the call centers had a daily turnover of over 10 million.
While confirming the raids, Superintendent of Police Dr. Mahesh Patil said that the call centers were under the radar after similar ones were recently raided in Ahmedabad.
“We will register cases for cheating under the Indian Penal Code and also apply the information Technology Act 2000,†Hindustan Times quoted Patil.
The probe also inquiries about the role of agents based in the US, who earned a 30% commission for every successful trap.
Police say that Mira Road agent got a 70% commission every time and a victim was targeted by two callers. The job was even advertised through stickers in local trains, inviting the attention by offered an attractive package to unemployed youth.
The raid was carried out by over 200 police personnel, starting from late Tuesday night and it reportedly continued till the wee hours on Wednesday.