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PHONE CON

‘Terrified’ victims of Indian call centre scam duped out £250 million after being threatened with ‘punishment’ if they don’t pay up on income tax

The global network 'bought' information to rip people off and said they faced 'deportation' if they didn't hand over cash

CALLERS from an Indian call centre have been posing as tax and immigration agents threatening to arrest and deport people unless money is handed over to pay up on taxes.

The scam has tricked at least 15,000 people into paying up more than £250 million ($300 million US).

Indian employees work at a call centre in the southern Indian city of Bangalore in this June 26, 2003 file photo. As global giants move business functions to cheaper locations including India and the Philippines, companies are educating and training their work force in the different types and manners of their overseas customers. Picture taken June 26, 2003. TO ACCOMPANY FEATURE TECH-CALLCENTRES REUTERS/Jagadeesh NV/Files
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Callers from an Indian call centre have been duping people out of millions posing as tax agents and threatening them with deportation if they don't pay up

Bruce Foucart of ICE's Homeland Security Investigations said: 'The scammers in this case and so many like it are convincing. They are menacing and they are ruthless in their pursuit of their victims.

"They convey authority that leaves their victims terrified."

Callers posing as officials with the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been calling victims saying if they didn't pay their unpaid income taxes they could be deported.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Criminal Division, gestures during a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016. The Justice Department is announcing charges in connection with a call center operation said to be based in India. Federal prosecutors have unsealed an indictment charging 61 defendants in the United States and abroad, including five call center groups. The department says the extorted funds ended up being laundered with the help of prepaid debit cards. Arrests are taking place throughout the United States. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
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According to Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Criminal Division in the US, some 15,000 people have been duped

The bought the information through data brokers.

"Runners" would then have to get the payments and put them in bank accounts.

These were obtained through prepaid debit cards which were registered with 'bought' personal information.

The number calling looked to come from a government agency, and the callers got information on their victims from the Internet before ringing them to appear genuine.

 

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Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell, right, of the Criminal Division, with Kenneth Magidson, center, of the Southern District of Texas; and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russell George, participate in a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016. Justice Department is announcing charges in connection with a call center operation said to be based in India. Federal prosecutors have unsealed an indictment charging 61 defendants in the United States and abroad, including five call center groups. The department says the extorted funds ended up being laundered with the help of prepaid debit cards. Arrests are taking place throughout the United States. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
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Information was obtained through data brokers - and people were left terrified by the calls

The US government says the callers are asking for unpaid income taxes, and have been targeting immigrants and older people.

The Justice Department announced charges on Thursday linked to the Indian based call centre against 61 defendants based who were based in the US and abroad. It is the first takedown of its kind.

Officials in Washington made the announcement in the wake of officers making arrests.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell, center, of the Criminal Division; Kenneth Magidson, left, of the Southern District of Texas; and Bruce M. Foucart, director, National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, participate in a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016. Justice Department is announcing charges in connection with a call center operation said to be based in India. Federal prosecutors have unsealed an indictment charging 61 defendants in the United States and abroad, including five call center groups. The department says the extorted funds ended up being laundered with the help of prepaid debit cards. Arrests are taking place throughout the United States. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
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The Justice Department announced charges on Thursday linked to the Indian based call centre against 61 defendants based who were based in the US and abroad. It is the first takedown of its kind

Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell, who heads up the Justice Departments Criminal Division, said of the scam it was not the way the US government operated: "We never call to demand that money be loaded immediately onto prepaid cards. U.S. government agencies do not call to demand immediate payments to avoid deportation or to avoid arrest."

There are nine warrants in eight states and 20 people have been arrested in the international fraud and money laundering investigation.

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