The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has dismantled a major international cyber fraud syndicate operating out of Pune and Mumbai, arresting three individuals and seizing a large cache of digital devices, cash, and narcotics during raids at multiple locations.
The agency registered a case on July 24 against unidentified bank officials and four private individuals accused of running an illegal call centre since January 2025. The centre was part of a well-orchestrated criminal conspiracy targeting U.S. citizens.
According to the CBI, the accused posed as officials from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and even the Indian High Commission, using fear tactics to extort money. Victims were coerced into transferring between $500 to $3,000 through gift cards or cryptocurrency, primarily via spoofed VoIP calls.
The illicit operations generated an estimated ₹3–4 crore per month, which was laundered through mule bank accounts, cryptocurrencies, and hawala networks. The CBI also found that some public and private sector bank officials were allegedly complicit, enabling the opening of fake accounts using forged KYC documents.
The racket recruited call centre agents paid in cash through hawala transactions routed from both the U.S. and Indian states like Maharashtra and Gujarat. Workers were housed in multiple residential flats in Pune. Contact leads were illegally acquired from vendors on WhatsApp and Signal, and victims were approached via toll-free numbers linked to the fraudulent call centre.
Following the case registration, the CBI conducted searches on July 24 and 25 at seven locations, including the illegal call centre in Pune. The raids led to the seizure of 27 mobile phones, 17 laptops, and other incriminating materials linked to the cyber fraud.
Investigations are ongoing, and more arrests are expected as the CBI continues to unravel the wider network involved in this transnational cybercrime operation.