A dramatic midnight raid by Pune police has uncovered one of the largest call center scams targeting American citizens in recent years. Operating under the name Magnetel BPS and Consultants, the fraudulent call center was raking in an estimated $30,000 to $40,000 daily by impersonating Amazon representatives and U.S. law enforcement.
Scammers threatened victims with arrest over fake drug-trafficking charges, pressuring them to pay off these bogus offenses using gift cards. The scheme’s chilling twist? Victims were told they were being “digitally arrested,” a term invented by the fraudsters to instill panic and force compliance.
123 agents, millions of numbers, and a cybercrime playbook
Based in Pune’s Kharadi District, the call center employed 123 agents, 111 men and 12 women, who worked night shifts to align with U.S. time zones. Police seized 64 laptops, 41 mobile phones, four routers, and detailed extortion scripts. The operation had access to millions of American phone numbers, adding 100,000 new contacts daily to target victims through impersonation and threats.
The police arrested five suspects: Sarjitsingh Shekhawat, Abhishekh Pande, Shrimay Shah, Laxman Shekhawat, and Aron Christian. All hail from Gujarat and Rajasthan, pointing to a broader interstate crime network. Authorities are still searching for three accomplices, including the suspected mastermind, and are coordinating with cybercrime units in multiple states.
In February, police raided a fake call center in Chaman Vihar, Saharanpur Road, arresting 13 youths posing as Microsoft and Apple representatives. They used social engineering to deceive foreign victims and demand payments. This case and the Pune bust underscore the growing scale and coordination of cyber fraud rings across India.
Cebu’s call centers under the microscope
The investigation’s impact has reached beyond India. In Cebu City, one of the top outsourcing hubs in the Philippines, concerns are rising over illegal BPO operations posing as legitimate contact centers.
The Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP), representing over 168 accredited firms, has pledged more vigorous enforcement and tighter oversight, actively tracking new players and flagging suspicious activity through its internal network. “This is not just about protecting our members—it’s about protecting the entire ecosystem,” CCAP President Haidee Enriques said.
Enriquez urged BPO workers to verify whether their employers are registered with industry bodies such as CCAP or IBPAP. “The first and last line of defense is always the people on the ground—the workers,” she added.
While recent scams haven’t involved CCAP members, the organization views them as a broader industry threat and a call for increased vigilance. CCAP Board Director Mitch Locsin warned that any scam “can ripple through the entire industry” and threaten thousands of indirect jobs supported by the outsourcing sector.
With cyber fraud now operating across borders, industry leaders in both countries call for greater vigilance from workers, companies, and governments alike.
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Briones, J. A. (2025, May 30). Cebu’s BPO boom threatened by fake call center operators, CCAP warns. Outsource Accelerator. Retrieved from https://news.outsourceaccelerator.com/cebus-bpo-boom-threatened/
ETV Bharat. (2025, February 20). Fake Call Centre Busted In Dehradun, 13 Held. Retrieved from https://www.etvbharat.com/en/!state/fake-call-centre-busted-in-dehradun-several-held-enn25021904571
