Several India-based Call Centers and Their Directors Indicted for Phone Scams Affecting Thousands of Americans

Several India-based call centers and their directors have been charged for perpetuating phone scams affecting thousands of Americans, conspiring with VoIP provider E Sampark, and its director, Gaurav Gupta. According to the Department of Justice, “the call centers and their directors place the initial scam calls, and the VoIP provider forwards those calls into the U.S., whereupon the call centers speak to —and attempt to defraud — the American-based victims” by utilizing scams such as Social Security and IRS impersonation as well as loan fraud.

Those named in the superseding indictment include Manu Chawla and Achievers A Spirit of BPO Solutions Private Limited; Sushil Sachdeva, Nitin Kumar Wadwani, Swarndeep Singh, a/k/a Sawaran Deep Kohli, and Fintalk Global; Dinesh Manohar Sachdev and Global Enterprises; Gaje Singh Rathore and Shivaay Communication Private Limited; Sanket Modi and SM Technomine Private Limited; and Rajiv Solanki and Technomind Info Solutions.

“Scam robocalls cause emotional and financial devastation to victims, particularly our vulnerable and elderly populations,” said U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine. “These India-based call centers allegedly scared their victims and stole their money, including some victims’ entire life savings.”

As part of their Social Security scam, India-based callers pose as federal agents in order to mislead victims into believing that their Social Security numbers were involved in crimes. As part of the IRS scam, the callers pose as IRS employees and tell victims that they owe back taxes. In both scenarios, the call centers threaten to arrest the victim if the victim does not send money. Based on misrepresentations made during the calls, the victims, including a number of Georgia residents, mailed money to a network of individuals who allegedly laundered funds on behalf of the overseas fraud network.

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As part of the loan scam, India-based callers mislead American consumers into believing that the callers work for lending institutions and that the victims are eligible for fictitious loans. They then direct the victims to pay upfront fees to demonstrate their ability to repay the loan. At times, the callers direct victims to provide their bank account information and make it appear as though they had deposited funds into the victims’ accounts. The callers then tell the victims to withdraw the funds and transfer them via wire transfer and gift cards. After the victims send the funds, the deposits that the callers supposedly made bounce. The victims receive nothing in return.