Cyberabad Police Arrest Nine Individuals Operating Scam Call Centre Targeting Australians

The Cyberabad police have arrested nine individuals linked to a fraudulent call centre that targeted Australian citizens. The operation involved deceiving victims into transferring large sums of money to Indian accounts, amassing Rs 8-10 crore over two years through various illicit methods.

The Cyberabad police have detained nine individuals suspected of running a fraudulent international call centre targeting Australians. The main suspects, Praveen and Prakash, recruited staff from Kolkata for this operation. They allegedly tricked Australian citizens into transferring substantial amounts of money to accounts held by Indians in Australia.

The funds obtained through deception were channelled back to India using various methods such as hawala networks, cryptocurrency, and other secretive means. Over the last two years, the group reportedly transferred between Rs 8-10 crore from unsuspecting victims, primarily Australians.

International Cyber Fraud Scheme

Praveen and his team were part of a larger international cyber fraud network. They received leads from an unknown group that sent fake pop-ups and emails to Australians. These messages falsely claimed that recipients' computers were compromised and provided a bogus customer care number.

When victims called this number, their calls were directed to the call centre in Madhapur. The accused then persuaded victims to grant remote access to their computers, allowing them to infiltrate online banking accounts and transfer funds to Australian bank accounts owned by Indian nationals.

Call Centre Operations

The fraudulent call centre was set up in 2024 by the prime accused, who are cousins from Telangana's Khammam district. They employed seven individuals from Kolkata, housed them in Madhapur, and trained them to make deceitful calls to Australians.

Additionally, the accused gathered bank account details from Indian students studying in Australia. These accounts were used to receive the illegally acquired money. Two more individuals from Khammam managed the daily operations of the centre.

Ongoing Investigation

While nine people have been apprehended, others involved remain at large. The investigation continues as authorities work to identify and capture all participants in this elaborate scheme.

The police release highlighted that the illegally obtained funds were routed back to India through multiple channels. These included hawala networks, cryptocurrency transactions, and other covert methods.

The operation's success relied on a coordinated effort between those making the calls and those managing the financial transactions. This complex network allowed them to amass significant sums over a relatively short period.

The investigation has uncovered a sophisticated international cyber fraud operation with deep roots in both India and Australia. Authorities are determined to dismantle this network and bring all perpetrators to justice.

With inputs from PTI