Fake Call Centre Targeting Australians Raided In City

In a major joint operation, the Cyberabad SOT Balanagar team and the cyber crime police busted an international fake call centre operating from Ayyappa Society, Madhapur.

The police arrested nine tele-callers from Hyderabad, Odisha and West Bengal. The police also seized 12 HP computers, 21 mobile phones, details of 45 Australian bank accounts, routers, stamps, and a Thar vehicle.

Key suspects Praveen and Prakash, who allegedly ran the operation and hired staff from Kolkata, are still absconding.

According to the police, the call centre, set up under the name Ridge IT Solutions, allegedly cheated Australian citizens by sending fake pop-ups warning them of computer compromise. Victims were then tricked into calling a spoofed helpline, which was routed through X-Lite to the Hyderabad-based call centre.

Tele-callers then took remote access via AnyDesk, accessed the victims' online banking accounts, and transferred funds to Australian bank accounts held by Indian nationals.

The money was later funneled back to India through hawala channels, cryptocurrency and other covert routes.

Investigators estimate that the syndicate siphoned off Rs 8-10 crore over two years.

The Cyberabad police urged NRI students and parents not to sell or share international bank accounts, because such accounts were frequently misused for cyber fraud and money laundering. The police also urged citizens to report cybercrime by dialing 1930 or via WhatsApp at 9490617444.