Telangana cyber security bureau busts fake call centre targeting NRIs, US citizens; arrests 63

Hyderabad: The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has busted a major cyber fraud operation running out of a fake call center in HITEC City of Hyderabad.

A total of 63 individuals, primarily from North Eastern states of India, were found working at the fraudulent establishment, engaging in cybercrimes targeting NRIs and US citizens.

The operation, conducted by TGCSB, led to the arrest of 63 key suspects, with investigations ongoing to identify further links. The accused, working at Exito Solutions, a fake call center, impersonated customer care representatives of PayPal to deceive victims.

Using advanced software like EYEBEAM and X-LITE, they placed fraudulent calls and sent phishing emails, specifically targeting PayPal customers based in the United States, falsely claiming that unauthorised transactions had been made on the victim’s account.

TGCSB Director Shikha Goel, on Thursday said that victims were tricked into calling a fake “fraud prevention team” listed in the emails, where scammers pressured them into sharing sensitive banking details under the pretense of securing a refund or stopping fraudulent activity.

In some cases, victims were convinced to transfer money to “safe accounts” to prevent further unauthorized transactions, only to realize later that they had been scammed.

The mastermind behind this cyber fraud operation has been identified as Kaivan Patel Rupesh Kumar, alias Jaddhu/Jadu Bhai, belonging to Gujarat. He was operating this racket along with his elder brother, Vickey, who resides in Dubai, and Ajad. These individuals were responsible for providing stolen customer data from PayPal and arranging mule bank accounts in the USA, which were used to receive fraudulently obtained money.

They have converted illicit funds into cryptocurrency, making the money untraceable. The investigation has revealed that the entire network was controlled by Jadu Bhai @La Bhai, and Rahul @Pratik under the supervision of Chanda Mansawani, a resident of Hyderabad, the managing director of Exito Solutions.

The organisation operated in coordination with team leaders Sanju, James, and Praveen, who specialised in manipulating victims into making fraudulent payments.

These individuals were recruited using social media platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, with promises of Rs 30,000 salaries for working in a “call center.”

However, once recruited, they were trained in deceptive tactics to commit cyber fraud. During the raid, the police recovered 52 mobile phones used in fraudulent activities, 63 Laptops, 27 ID Cards of Exito Solutions

“Further investigation is underway to identify additional suspects, including Justin, a key recruiter, and Jadu Bhai, who managed the operations. TGCSB urges citizens to remain vigilant and avoid falling prey to such sophisticated cyber scams,” added Shikha Goel.