International Cybercrime Ring Dismantled in India; Six Arrested for Defrauding Japanese Nationals

The CBI, working with Japanese authorities and Microsoft, arrested six individuals and dismantled two fraudulent call centres in India. These centres tricked Japanese nationals into transferring funds by posing as Microsoft and Apple representatives, leading to a loss of over Japanese Yen 2.03 crore. The arrests followed coordinated raids across three Indian states.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested six individuals and dismantled two illegal call centres implicated in sophisticated technical support scams targeting Japanese nationals. This operation resulted in a loss of over Japanese Yen 2.03 crore for the victims, with scammers posing as representatives from major tech companies like Microsoft and Apple.

Dubbed 'Operation Chakra V,' the initiative marks a significant step in the ongoing crackdown on cybercrime, thanks to a collaborative effort between the CBI, Japan's National Police Agency, and Microsoft. The venture enabled identification and tracking of the fraudsters and their operational bases across India.

Following intelligence gathered, CBI teams conducted raids at 19 locations across Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, resulting in six arrests and the dismantling of the illicit call centres. Investigations revealed the perpetrators used social engineering tactics to manipulate victims into transferring funds, converting them into cryptocurrency, and routing through multiple wallets.

(With inputs from agencies.)