Latest news with #AshuSingh
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
CBI busts two illegal call centres cheating Japan citizens; 6 held
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has busted a transnational technical support scam targeting Japanese nationals, arresting six individuals and unearthing two fake call centres after raids at 19 locations across Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, the agency said on Thursday. The accused allegedly posed as Microsoft and Apple support representatives and defrauded Japanese victims of over ₹1.2 crore (approximately 20.3 million Japanese Yen). CBI's crackdown was part of Operation Chakra V, a nationwide campaign against cybercrime. The federal agency said it worked in close coordination with Japan's National Police Agency and Microsoft, which helped trace the scammers and their operational setup. 'This international cooperation was critical to identifying the perpetrators and dismantling the syndicate,' the CBI said in a statement. On Wednesday, six people were arrested: Ashu Singh from Delhi, Kapil Ghakhar from Panipat, Rohit Maurya from Ayodhya, and Shubham Jaiswal, Vivek Raj, and Adarsh Kumar from Varanasi. Two fake call centres, which mimicked legitimate customer support hubs, were also unearthed. CBI said the syndicate tricked victims into believing their electronic devices were compromised. 'They coerced victims into transferring funds into mule accounts under the pretext of fixing supposed issues,' the agency said. The investigation focused on four incidents between April and July 2024, where Japanese citizens were targeted using a similar modus operandi. Victims received pop-up alerts on their computers claiming a virus infection and were directed to call a number. The calls connected them to scammers in India pretending to be Microsoft or Apple support staff. Once connected, the fraudsters used remote access tools, extracted sensitive information, and siphoned off funds, often pushing victims to buy gift cards or transfer money directly. In one case, a resident of Hyogo Prefecture lost over JPY 20 million after scammers accessed his bank details and converted the stolen money into cryptocurrency. Three other victims were duped into purchasing fake gift cards worth JPY 330,000. CBI said the fraudsters' Japanese was noticeably unnatural, with Hindi chatter audible in the background, and calls traced to Indian phone codes. An FIR in the case cited two Delhi-based individuals—Manmeet Singh Basra of RK Puram and Jiten Harchand of Chhatarpur Enclave—as key operators who handled lead generation, payment routing, and backend infrastructure. Harchand allegedly managed fund transfers and operated multiple Skype IDs used in the fraud. Between July and December 2024, 94 malicious URLs linked to Indian IPs generated Japanese-language pop-ups to lure victims. Preliminary findings suggest the scam used advanced social engineering and tech subterfuge to exploit its targets.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- New Indian Express
‘Operation Chakra-V': CBI busts transnational scam that posed as tech support to cheat Japanese citizens
NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday said it has busted a cyber crime syndicate by arresting six of its alleged members, who targeted Japanese citizens as their victims. The six accused were apprehended following searches at 19 locations in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, officials in the agency said. They said the accused have been identified as Ashu Singh (Delhi); Kapil Ghakhar (Panipat, Haryana); Rohit Maurya from Ayodhya; and Shubham Jaiswal, Vivek Raj and Adarsh Kumar from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. 'As part of its ongoing efforts to combat cyber-enabled financial crimes under Operation Chakra-V, the CBI on May 28 conducted coordinated searches... the operation culminated in the arrest of six key operatives and the dismantling of two illegal call centres engaged in a sophisticated transnational tech support scam targeting Japanese citizens,' the agency said in an official statement after conducting 'Operation Chakra-V'.
News18
5 days ago
- News18
Japanese Citizens Duped By Fake ‘Microsoft' Calls: CBI Arrests 6 In Raids Across Delhi, Haryana, UP
Last Updated: The gang tricked Japanese citizens by calling them with fake virus alerts, then charged money for bogus tech support services claiming to fix non-existent issues In a significant breakthrough, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in collaboration with Japan's National Police Agency and Microsoft, has uncovered a major cyber fraud syndicate. Dubbed Operation Chakra-V, it resulted in the arrest of six individuals following raids at 19 locations across Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The gang had been defrauding Japanese citizens through a fake call centre. The arrested suspects include Ashu Singh from Delhi, Kapil Khakhar from Haryana's Panipat, Rohit Maurya from Ayodhya, and Shubham Jaiswal, Vivek Raj and Adarsh Kumar from Varanasi. These individuals were part of an organised cybercrime network, deceiving Japanese citizens by impersonating representatives from the renowned software company, Microsoft. According to the CBI, the gang would contact Japanese citizens and intimidate them with claims of alleged technical faults in their digital and electronic devices. They then extorted money by offering fake technical support services. The fraudulent scheme employed social engineering and technical deception, making it easier to dupe the victims. On May 28, the CBI, alongside Japan's National Police Agency and Microsoft, conducted simultaneous raids at 19 locations in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. This operation led to the dismantling of two fake call centres and the seizure of crucial evidence, including laptops, mobile phones and other digital devices. The gang's modus operandi involved scaring Japanese citizens through phone calls and convincing them of supposed viruses or technical issues in their devices. They then charged for bogus technical support, leveraging the trusted name of Microsoft. The money obtained through these fraudulent activities was laundered through money mule accounts, making it difficult to trace. The international cooperation between the CBI, Japan's National Police Agency, and Microsoft was instrumental in identifying the gang's hideouts and exposing its entire operational structure. The CBI emphasised that this operation reflects improved coordination between Indian and foreign agencies in tackling global cyber threats. All six arrested individuals face charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. The CBI noted that the investigation is ongoing, with efforts to identify other suspects linked to this network. First Published: May 29, 2025, 19:00 IST
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
5 days ago
- Business Standard
CBI arrests 6, busts 2 illegal call centres for cheating Japanese citizens
The CBI arrested six people and dismantled two illegal call centres for allegedly cheating Japanese citizens using tech support scams, officials said Thursday. After registering the case as part of its crackdown on cybercriminals in Operation Chakra V, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) worked closely with the Japan National Police Agency and Microsoft to identify the syndicate members and their locations. "This collaborative international engagement proved critical in identifying the perpetrators and tracing the operational structure of the syndicates, ultimately leading to the successful crackdown in India," the CBI said in a statement. Once the locations were identified, the CBI teams swooped down on 19 locations in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday during which six alleged gang members were arrested and two illegal call centres were dismantled. The arrested were identified as Ashu Singh from Delhi, Kapil Ghakhar from Panipat, Rohit Maurya from Ayodhya, Shubham Jaiswal, Vivek Raj and Adarsh Kumar from Varanasi. "The syndicate operated call centres designed to appear as legitimate customer service centres, through which victims were deceived into believing that their electronic devices were compromised," the CBI said, adding that under this pretext, victims were coerced into transferring funds into mule accounts. The searches resulted in the seizure of a trove of digital evidence, devices and documents "indicative of the large-scale operations of the syndicate." Preliminary analysis confirms that the scam leveraged advanced social engineering techniques and technical subterfuge to manipulate victims and extract money under false pretences.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
CBI busts 2 illegal call centers in Delhi, 6 scammers arrested
The CBI arrested six people and dismantled two illegal call centres for allegedly cheating Japanese citizens using tech support scams, officials said Thursday. After registering the case as part of its crackdown on cybercriminals in Operation Chakra V, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) worked closely with the Japan National Police Agency and Microsoft to identify the syndicate members and their locations. "This collaborative international engagement proved critical in identifying the perpetrators and tracing the operational structure of the syndicates, ultimately leading to the successful crackdown in India," the CBI said in a statement. Once the locations were identified, the CBI teams swooped down on 19 locations in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday during which six alleged gang members were arrested and two illegal call centres were dismantled. The arrested were identified as Ashu Singh from Delhi, Kapil Ghakhar from Panipat, Rohit Maurya from Ayodhya, Shubham Jaiswal, Vivek Raj and Adarsh Kumar from Varanasi. "The syndicate operated call centres designed to appear as legitimate customer service centres, through which victims were deceived into believing that their electronic devices were compromised," the CBI said, adding that under this pretext, victims were coerced into transferring funds into mule accounts. The searches resulted in the seizure of a trove of digital evidence, devices and documents "indicative of the large-scale operations of the syndicate." Preliminary analysis confirms that the scam leveraged advanced social engineering techniques and technical subterfuge to manipulate victims and extract money under false pretences.
