Dark web contacts, fluent English: How a gang of four duped US citizens
A fake international call centre allegedly inspired by web series plots has been busted in Gujarat's Vadodara, where four men were operating a sophisticated online
A fake international call centre allegedly inspired by web series plots has been busted in Gujarat's Vadodara, where four men were operating a sophisticated online fraud network targeting US citizens. The accused allegedly posed as loan agents, luring victims with promises of approved loans before extracting fees ranging from $150 to $200. The Vadodara Local Crime Branch (LCB) Zone-2 uncovered the operation during a raid at an apartment in the city's Akota area. Investigators found that the suspects were running the call centre without any licence or official authorisation and were making international calls to American citizens as part of an organised scam.
Read Full Story According to police, the callers informed victims that their loans had been approved through a company called "City Credits" and then demanded processing charges. To complete the fraud, they allegedly collected debit card details, including card numbers, expiry dates and CVV codes, before charging victims between $150 and $200. During the raid, police seized seven mobile phones, eight laptops, a fibre Wi-Fi router, cash and other equipment used in the operation. Authorities said assets and materials worth around Rs 35 lakh were recovered from the premises.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-2) Manjita Vanjara said one of the accused is a stock market expert, another previously worked in a call centre, while the remaining two were skilled callers with strong English-speaking abilities. Investigators believe the group obtained contact details of potential victims through the dark web and had been operating the fraudulent call centre for the past two months. Police identified Karan Lokwani and Jonathan Das as the alleged masterminds behind the operation. The duo reportedly recruited and trained two other associates, teaching them how to carry out the scam and interact with foreign victims.
In a startling revelation, investigators said the accused admitted they learned and refined their fraud techniques after watching web series depicting similar criminal operations. Authorities are now trying to determine how many people may have fallen victim to the scheme and the total amount of money allegedly siphoned through the racket. Ends
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