On October 28, 2025, the MDIC Cidco Police in India raided an illegal call center operating out of a four-story building (Connect Enterprises) in T-7 STPI-1 for facilitating an “unpaid tax” scam against American nationals. How their scam worked was:
- The scammers would make fraudulent phone calls, text messages and emails to American citizens, falsely claiming they had not paid their taxes and urging them to contact a designated “suppoat” number.
- When called, the scammer will have their victims “settle” these “tax issues” through Zelle, Western Union wire transfers, or the purchase of Amazon and Apple gift cards.
- The money obtained would then be converted into cryptocurrency, then to Indian rupees through fraudulent money transfer channels.
117 individuals from Gujarat, West Bengal and northeastern India, including a minor, were arrested during the operation, including call center operators
- Bhavesh Prakash Chaudhary
- Bhavik Shivdev Patel
- Satish Shankar Lade
- Walay Parag Vyas
- Abdul Farooq Mukadam “Farooqui” Shah
- John
Police have also seized property and equipment were also seized during the operation.