Gujarat’s growing reputation as a business and technology hub is now facing an uncomfortable parallel reality — the repeated unearthing of fake call centre rackets that have targeted victims abroad, especially in the United States, Canada and Europe.
In the last few months alone, multiple police operations across Ahmedabad have exposed how fraud networks are exploiting digital tools, overseas data, and even young job-seekers to run sophisticated international scams — often from ordinary office spaces, hotel rooms and commercial buildings.
The latest case came to light a couple of days ago when Khadia police raided a room inside Hotel Sangam in Sarangpur, Ahmedabad, after receiving a tip-off about a bogus call centre operating from the premises.
According to media reports, police arrested Clayton Rodrigues (30) from Mumbai, along with Ahmedabad residents Kapil Padhiyar (39) and Dhaval Darji, accusing them of defrauding US citizens by offering fake loan approvals.
Police said the trio used multiple Google Voice IDs, generated through online recharges using crypto currency, to contact American targets. Posing as representatives of a company called “Lending Tree Corporation,” they allegedly told victims their credit scores were low and demanded payments for “improvement charges” and insurance.
Victims were persuaded to purchase Walmart, Target and Apple Pay gift cards, typically worth $100 to $500, and share the voucher numbers. The money was later converted into Indian currency through USDT transactions, routed via hawala and angadia channels.
Officers recovered phones, laptops and large volumes of US citizen data, along with WhatsApp chats and transaction records. Investigators believe the accused may have been running similar operations since.
Just weeks earlier, another major operation unfolded in Ahmedabad’s commercial heart.
Navrangpura police detained 24 people, most of them students, from a call centre functioning on the 12th floor of Sakar-9 on Ashram Road. The office, operating under the name Moonrise Remedy Care Pvt. Ltd., was allegedly running an international “herbal cure” scam targeting NRIs.
Police said callers were trained to pose as representatives of a US-based medical agency, selling so-called cure packages for infertility, autism, obesity, baldness and neurological disorders.
Victims abroad were reportedly charged between $600 and $800, with some paying thousands for promised miracle treatments that never existed.
The company was registered in the name of the brother of alleged mastermind Abhishek Ramnarayan Pathak, who has been remanded along with team leader Nikhil Jain and others.
Investigators suspect the setup had links to a larger overseas herbal marketing network, possibly run by a Gujarati handler abroad. Scripts seized from the office instructed callers to speak like doctors, using patient histories to build credibility.
Zone-1 DCP Harshad Patel had told media that tracing the international money trail is now central to the probe. Devices seized from the accused have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for analysis.
The pattern is not limited to city police cases.
In October 2024, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) busted an interstate call centre fraud ring with strong Gujarat connections. Raids were conducted across 32 locations in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune and Visakhapatnam, leading to the arrest of 11 individuals, including residents from Ahmedabad’s industrial belts such as New Naroda and Odhav.
The accused allegedly impersonated US officials and financial institutions, tricking American citizens into transferring money under the guise of tax refunds, credit issues and legal threats.
A CBI official said digital evidence showed the gang used caller ID masking and stolen data to persuade victims into making high-value payments.
Two months later, in December 2024, Punjab Police uncovered a massive fake call centre in Sector 74, Mohali, arresting 155 employees. Investigators identified operational links to Gujarat-based masterminds, many of whom remain absconding.
The Mohali centre reportedly targeted US and Canadian citizens using detailed scripts and victim profiles sourced through brokers, with money being converted through hawala and digital currency routes.
While Gujarat’s repeated busts have drawn attention, experts say these rackets are part of a broader national and global cybercrime ecosystem.
India’s long-standing image as the world’s trusted outsourcing hub is now under reputational pressure, as scam networks increasingly emerge from the same digital infrastructure that supports legitimate call-centre services.
A recent raid in Hyderabad, where tele-callers were trained to mimic Australian accents while scamming citizens abroad, highlighted how fraud operations are becoming more professional and structured.
“These are no longer crude phishing outfits,” Raj Kapoor, president of the India Blockchain Alliance, was quoted in the section of the media. “They resemble organised cyber-fraud hubs, complete with training modules and cross-border coordination.”
Analysts warn that such scams could threaten India’s $150 billion outsourcing industry if global clients begin questioning regulatory oversight and operational vetting.
Experts say fake call centres thrive because of regulatory gaps, VoIP-based anonymity, and the ease of recruiting young workers with promises of salaries between Rs 20,000 and Rs 1 lakh.
Many recruits, especially students, may not fully understand the scale of the fraud they are drawn into.
Lawyers point out that enforcement remains difficult under India’s IT Act framework when operations span multiple states and international jurisdictions.
Once money leaves the victim’s account, recovery becomes nearly impossible, and masterminds often escape by operating remotely from abroad.
Police across Gujarat are now working with cybercrime units, financial intelligence agencies and foreign law enforcement to map money trails, identify overseas handlers, and shut down networks that continue to exploit vulnerable communities both inside India and abroad.
Authorities believe the Ahmedabad busts may represent only the tip of a larger iceberg.
As Gujarat expands its digital economy, officials face a growing challenge: ensuring the state’s infrastructure powers innovation — not international fraud.
Also Read: Ahmedabad Call-Centre Raid Opens Trail To More International Scams; Investigation Widens https://www.vibesofindia.com/ahmedabad-call-centre-raid-opens-trail-to-more-international-scams-investigation-widens/
