7 suspects arrested; sophisticated VoIP-based call centre targeting foreign nationals unearthed
Srinagar: Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) on Thursday said that it has received various technical and credible inputs regarding the functioning of covert call centres engaged in fraudulent online activities targeting foreign/local nationals.
In a statement issued here on Thursday a CIK spokesperson said, “After receiving the inputs CIK promptly constituted specialized teams comprising technical experts and field operatives and carried out systematic surveillance, digital intelligence gathering and verification across multiple locations, ultimately identifying a key operational hub at the Industrial Area, Rangreth, Srinagar.”
He said in furtherance to this, a CIK team conducted swift and well-coordinated raids at different parts across Srinagar city.
“During the raid, seven suspects were apprehended on the spot and digital and communication equipment, including 13 mobile phones, 09 laptops, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) systems, SIM cards and networking devices, digital storage media etc, were seized from them,” the spokesperson added.
He said the seized material contained substantial incriminating evidence, clearly indicating a highly organized and technologically advanced criminal setup.
“Preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused were part of a larger, well-coordinated cybercrime syndicate with linkages extending beyond Jammu & Kashmir. Part of the network was specifically designed to target victims in countries such as USA, UK and Canada, operate through international communication masking technologies, use psychological manipulation and impersonation tactics and launder money through modern digital and cryptocurrency channels,” said the spokesperson.
He said the accused had established a covert unregistered call centre infrastructure using VoIP-based systems, enabling them to generate international virtual numbers, mask their real location using server routing and spoofing techniques and appear as legitimate service providers to unsuspecting victims.
“International calls were being generated and routed through this call centre. A fake YahooMail.com website and Google advertisements were used to target victims.”
He further said individuals across multiple countries were approached through organized call operations and online phishing ads. Once a victim clicked on the advertisement, a toll-free number appeared on their screen. This toll-free number was operated by the suspects, who then deceived innocent people into providing their banking and other personal details.
“Funds were subsequently transferred into various accounts, including mule accounts and cryptocurrency wallets (primarily USDT). The illicit proceeds were further layered, converted and withdrawn to conceal their origin.”
Victims were contacted and deceived into believing that their devices or bank accounts were compromised and they needed to pay for technical support or avoid penalties. The fraudulently obtained money was then transferred via banking channels, digital wallets and cryptocurrency and routed through mule accounts. It was then converted into USDT and other cryptocurrencies and layered multiple times to evade detection and tracing.
“Notably, no cash transactions were involved, highlighting the fully digital and sophisticated nature of the crime. The transactions carried so far seem to be running in several crores.”
“An FIR is being registered under relevant provisions of law, including cheating, criminal conspiracy and relevant sections of the Information Technology Act. Follow-up raids are being conducted to apprehend additional suspects. Forensic analysis of seized devices is underway. Efforts are ongoing to identify victims and trace financial flows. The wider network, including national and international linkages, is under investigation,” said the spokesperson, adding that this successful operation highlights the presence of a highly organized, globally connected cyber fraud network operating from within the region
