Massive Fake Call Center Scam Busted in Mohali: 37 Arrested for International PayPal Fraud

Massive Fake Call Center Scam Busted in Mohali: 37 Arrested for International PayPal Fraud

The police have arrested 37 members of a gang operating a fake call center that siphoned money from the PayPal accounts of foreign nationals. The gang, which included 25 men and 12 women, set up the fraudulent call center in Kailash Tower, Industrial Area Phase-8. Police seized 45 laptops, 45 headphone mics, 59 mobile phones (23 office and 36 personal), and a Mercedes car with a Delhi registration from their office. Acting on a tip-off, the police, under the supervision of SSP Sandeep Kumar Garg, raided the Webtap Private Limited call center and arrested all the suspects. Investigations revealed that the call center staff collected bank account details of foreign nationals and sent emails warning them of transactions on their PayPal accounts. The emails advised recipients to call a fake customer care number if they wanted to stop the transactions. Once the victims called, they were linked to another person who instructed them to buy gift cards to halt the fraudulent transactions. The scammers then used these gift cards to withdraw money from the PayPal accounts.

Kevin Patel and Prateek were identified as the ringleaders. The police plan to take them into remand to uncover more details about their international fraud operations. They will be interrogated to determine how many foreign nationals were targeted and how much money was stolen. Authorities will also investigate whether other similar fake call centers are operating elsewhere. This information is crucial to dismantling the network and preventing further international fraud.

This incident is not the first of its kind in Mohali. In May, the State Cyber Cell busted two fake call centers in Sector 74, arresting 155 employees and seizing 79 desktops and 204 laptops. These recurring scams highlight the need for stringent cybersecurity measures and vigilant law enforcement to protect individuals from such fraudulent activities.

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