Call centre duping foreign nationals on pretext of accident claims busted

Noida Police on Thursday arrested two persons who ran a call centre and duped foreigners of their money on the pretext of processing accident claims

Noida Police on Thursday arrested two persons who ran a call centre and duped foreigners of their money on the pretext of processing accident claims.

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The suspects were identified as Avnish Nagar, the owner and director of the centre, and Chandra Mohan Jha, the administrative head of the company, residents of Dadri and sector 44, respectively. According to police, the call centre had been operational since August, 2020 from H block sector 61.

“A former employee of the company had approached the police after he was not paid. Following his complaint, a raid was conducted,” said Jitendra Kumar Dikshit, station house officer, Phase 3 police station.

“They had a contact in Australia who provided them with data of accident victims who were contacted through internet phone calls. The callers would offer to settle accident claims on behalf of the victims and would charge a certain sum from them following which they would stop responding to calls and move on. The amounts varied in each case and we are working on sorting the financials,” said the SHO.

Police suspect there to be dozens of victims. Eighteen computer systems and phones were recovered from the spot and the equipment has been sent for a forensic probe following which the data will be analysed before further action is taken.

The suspects were booked at the Phase 3 police station under sections 419 (Punishment for cheating by personation) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of IT Act.

The duo was produced before a magistrate and later sent to jail.