Fake Call Centre Busted in Panchkula: 21 Arrested for International Cyber Fraud

Panchkula Police have dismantled an international cyber fraud racket operating from a fake call centre in Sector-2 Market. In a late-night raid that extended into the early hours, authorities arrested 21 individuals, including four identified as key suspects: Navdeep, Akshay Tikku, Raza, and Ankur Kapoor. The operation led to the seizure of ₹11.30 lakh in cash, 19 computers, 3 laptops, 16 handsets, 3 walkie-talkies, 2 Wi-Fi routers, a currency counting machine, 3 POS machines, and gold jewellery.

The call centre, run under the name Alpha Event Company, allegedly targeted US citizens by impersonating Amazon customer care officials. Employees were trained to extract sensitive information, such as credit card details, from victims under the guise of resolving issues. The call centre operated on US timings, starting at 7 PM and running until 3 AM.

Approximately 20 young men and women, fluent in English, were employed at the centre, earning salaries between ₹20,000 and ₹25,000. They underwent a week to 10 days of training to communicate effectively with foreign nationals.

Police investigations revealed that Ankur Kapoor, a member of the Road Safety Organisation (RSO), and lawyer Navdeep played significant roles in managing the network. Kapoor reportedly organised events under the guise of road safety initiatives, inviting senior police officials, which helped him avoid suspicion.

The arrested individuals are set to be presented in court, and further investigations are expected to uncover additional details about the operation.