In a significant crackdown, the Mulund Police have busted an international fake call centre operating from the Mulund area of Mumbai. The racket was allegedly cheating foreign nationals under the guise of offering online loans. Police have arrested five accused involved in the operation.
The arrested accused have been identified as:
1. Sagar Rajesh Gupta (27), resident of Mulund
2. Abhishek Suryaprakash Singh (28), resident of Mulund
3. Tanmay Kumar Rajneesh Dhadsing (27), resident of Lakhisarai district, Bihar
4. Shailesh Manohar Shetty (27), resident of Bhayandar (East)
5. Rohan Mohd Ansari (28), resident of Thane
According to police officials, the gang was running the fraudulent operation under the names “Pay Day Loan” and “Lending Point.” The accused contacted victims abroad via social media and email, luring them with promises of low-interest online loans. However, before approving the supposed loans, they collected hefty sums from victims as “processing fees” or “tax payments.”
During the investigation, it was revealed that the accused cheated foreign nationals — mostly from the United States and other countries — of amounts ranging between USD 90 to USD 300 each. The fraudulently obtained money was transferred to Indian bank accounts controlled by the accused, who then withdrew the funds locally.
The police seized four laptops, nine mobile phones, and ₹56,000 in cash, along with databases and equipment used in the scam.
A case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — Sections 61(2), 316(2), 318(2), 338, 340(2), 319(2), and 336(3) — along with provisions of the Information Technology Act, including Sections 66C and 66D.
Police said further investigation is underway to determine the scale of the scam, identify other associates, and trace victims overseas.