Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai)

Fake call centres busted in Malad

- HT Correspond­ent

ONE FIRM DUPED FOREIGN CITIZENS BY SELLING SEX ENHANCEMEN­T SUPPLEMENT­S, AND THE OTHER SOLD PAID APPS AT LOWER PRICES

MUMBAI: Bangur Nagar police busted a fake call centre in Malad (West) and arrested eight people for selling sex enhancemen­t supplement­s to American nationals on Saturday.

Earlier on April 29, Malad and Bangur Nagar police had raided three such call centres for similar offences and arrested 10 people.

Police said they had received informatio­n about few fake call centres, which duped foreign nationals, in their jurisdicti­on, following which a raid was carried on under the supervisio­n of Vishal Thakur, deputy commission­er of police (zone 11).

A police team raided the premises at Vijay Industrial Estate at Chincholi Bunder, Malad and found eight people working there. Upon investigat­ion, the police found out the call centre was operating using a VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) software to make calls to American citizens and sell sex enhancemen­t supplement­s.

Police officers seized the computers and arrested the owner and manager of the outlet along with the eight employees.

Thakur said the owners of the call centre used to steal data and phone numbers of American nationals from the dark web, called them with the help of VOIP and lured them into buying sex enhancemen­t supplement­s. The employees then used to ask the customers to transfer the amount online through money transfer apps.

Police also arrested owners of another fake call centre in Bangur Nagar for allegedly selling Google Play apps at a lesser price. The police had detained the employees and released them after giving a notice to be present in court. “We have arrested the owners of the fake call centres,” said Thakur.

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