LUCKNOW: A day after the Lucknow Crime Branch, under Operation CYVAJRA, busted an illegal international cyber fraud call centre operating from a luxury apartment in Sushant Golf City, investigators shared details of how recruits were allegedly paid Rs 60,000 a month, promised lucrative incentives and even lured with the prospect of trips to the US to scam American citizens.According to investigators, the seven arrested accused were hired by the operators of the fake call centre without formal appointment letters or employment contracts.Most were recruited for their ability to communicate in English with US citizens and were assigned specialised roles ranging from dialling victims to impersonating Microsoft technical support executives and officials of the US Federal Trade Commission.
How US citizens got trapped
Police said they are looking for the mastermind, Yash, a native of Gujarat, who is absconding. Investigators suspect he played a key role in recruiting staff and coordinating the syndicate’s activities.Police said the investigation has so far identified an American victim, Dorris, who was allegedly cheated of nearly Rs 66 lakh by the syndicate.Investigators suspect there could be many more victims in the US and are analysing seized digital evidence, including laptops, mobile phones, calling scripts and victim databases, to establish full extent of the operation.Among those arrested is Mohammad Shahnawaz Alam (29), a Class XII pass.During questioning, he told investigators he was unable to secure a regular job after getting married around three months ago and was attracted by the promise of a Rs 60,000 monthly salary, performance-linked incentives and possibility of overseas travel.Police said the call centre functioned like a corporate office, with employees divided into teams handling victim outreach, obtaining remote access to their targets’ computers through software such as TeamViewer and UltraViewer, preparing forged govt documents and collecting payments through gift cards, cryptocurrency and cash pickups in US.The syndicate recruited employees from various states, most with prior experience in the business process outsourcing sector, enabling them to communicate fluently in English with US citizens.The fake company also arranged accommodation for its staff but issued no appointment letters, employment contracts or other employment records.Crime Branch is now probing the financial trail, identifying other organisers and beneficiaries linked to the racket and investigating the wider transnational cyber fraud network.
