The United States has thanked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for its role in breaking a massive cybercrime racket that defrauded American citizens of more than Rs 350 crore since 2023.
In a post on social media, the US Embassy described the operation as “a big week for US-India law enforcement collaboration.” The statement added, “India’s CBI, in close coordination with the U.S. FBI, dismantled a transnational cybercrime syndicate that defrauded U.S. nationals of nearly USD 40M through tech-support scams, and arrested key figures behind the cyber fraud network.”
The post further noted, “Through shared intelligence and coordinated action, both our agencies are working together to dismantle international networks, prevent future scams, and keep our citizens safe. Thank you for your partnership and support, CBI.”
The CBI uncovered a fake call centre called ‘Digikaps The Future of Digital’, operating from Global Tower near Khalsa College of Women in Amritsar. Working closely with the FBI, officials raided the premises and arrested three main accused identified as Jigar Ahmed, Yash Khurana, and Inder Jeet Singh Bali. During the operation, authorities seized Rs 54 lakh in cash, eight mobile phones, laptops, and other digital evidence.
According to the CBI, the gang had been deceiving American citizens by pretending to offer technical support. Victims were tricked into granting remote access to their computers and bank accounts. Once access was obtained, the criminals convinced them that their funds were under threat and persuaded them to transfer money into cryptocurrency wallets controlled by the syndicate.
The agency confirmed that the fraudsters had siphoned off nearly USD 40 million (about Rs 350 crore) using this method. Raids also uncovered a large amount of digital evidence, including 85 hard drives, 16 laptops, and 44 mobile phones, highlighting the scale of the scam.
The crackdown was part of Operation Chakra IV, under which the CBI is collaborating with Interpol and global law enforcement agencies to tackle organised cyber-enabled crimes. A CBI official said, “As part of Operation Chakra-IV, International Operations Division of CBI is rapidly identifying and taking action on the organised technology-enabled crime network in close coordination with Interpol and foreign law enforcement agencies.”
During the raids, 34 people were caught red-handed at the Amritsar call centre. The CBI is now tracking the money trail to identify more members of the wider cybercrime syndicate. Investigations are ongoing to follow the proceeds of the crime and uncover further international connections.
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