Mumbai/Pune, July 25:The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has uncovered a major international cyber fraud racket operating out of Pune and Mumbai, arresting three individuals and seizing digital devices, cash, and narcotics during multi-location raids.
According to a CBI statement issued on Friday, the syndicate had been active since January 2025, targeting foreign nationals—primarily US citizens—through spoofed VoIP calls, phishing, and impersonation of officials from the IRS, USCIS, and Indian missions.
The fraudsters operated from an illegal call centre in Pune, coercing victims into transferring amounts ranging from $500 to $3,000 via gift cards and cryptocurrency by threatening legal consequences.
The CBI registered a case on July 24 against unidentified public sector bank officials and four private individuals for operating the scam as part of a well-planned criminal conspiracy. Preliminary investigations revealed that the racket generated monthly proceeds of Rs 3–4 crore, which were laundered via mule accounts, crypto wallets, and hawala channels.
Raids were conducted at seven locations across Pune and Mumbai between July 24 and 25, including residential flats that functioned as call centre units. The CBI seized 27 mobile phones, 17 laptops, and various digital devices. Initial analysis confirmed the use of social media-based calling platforms like WhatsApp and Signal for fraud execution.
Additionally, Rs 1.60 lakh in cash and 150 grams of narcotics were found at one accused’s residence, while another location yielded Rs 9.60 lakh in unaccounted cash. Authorities also recovered cryptocurrency worth Rs 6.94 lakh.
The three arrested accused were produced before the Special CBI Court in Mumbai and remanded to police custody until July 30, as further investigations continue into the involvement of bank officials and international connections.
