Lucknow: Investigators probing an international fake call-centre racket claimed that accused Niteshbhai Padmashali and his associates allegedly expanded from a UK-focused gift-card scam into a more sophisticated US-targeted fraud built around panic triggers such as account freezes and identity theft.Police said interrogation of Niteshbhai, arrested on Aug 8, indicated the group’s early operations centred on the UK. Using virtual UK numbers and softphone applications such as 3CX, callers allegedly contacted victims directly, convinced them to transfer money and routed payments through gift cards. Transaction handling was allegedly managed by “processors” who deducted commissions, while links to processors and other facilitators were sourced through Telegram groups, investigators said.The racket later pivoted to the US and adopted a layered model designed to make victims initiate contact. Instead of cold calls, the group allegedly pushed bulk SMS alerts claiming $200-$500 was about to be deducted from recipients’ bank accounts. The messages carried a US toll-free number, prompting alarmed recipients to call back.Investigators said calls were managed through a three-tier workflow. A “Dialer” allegedly answered first, stated an unauthorised transaction was in progress and gathered basic personal and banking details before transferring the call to a “Banker.”The “Banker” allegedly intensified pressure by claiming multiple accounts had been opened using the victim’s Social Security Number and warning that the primary bank account could be frozen. Victims were then allegedly told they needed to speak to govt authorities or Federal Trade Commission to resolve the situation.In the final stage, a “Closer” allegedly pushed victims to make deposits of $250-$500 described as “account security” payments or a “government treasury deposit.” Police said payment instructions were passed on by management or the processor team.Investigators said victims were commonly instructed to buy Amazon, Apple, Target or Google Play gift cards and share the codes. In some cases, victims were allegedly provided Bitcoin ATM barcodes and told to deposit cash and transfer funds via cryptocurrency.Police said the operation followed a clear hierarchy of processors, SMS operators, dialers, bankers and closers, with virtual toll-free numbers used to create the appearance of a legitimate US-based service.ADCP (Crime) Kiran Yadav said efforts are underway to identify other members of the network and trace its financial and technical infrastructure.
