Call centre scam targeting foreign taxpayers unearthed

NEW DELHI: Police on Saturday busted a gang that allegedly duped people living in the US and other countries by telling them that they need to pay tax dues, an official said. Two years ago, the Thane Crime Branch had unearthed a similar scam which targeted US residents.

Acting on a tip-off, the police raided a call centre in Mira Road area and arrested seven people, police said. Explaining the gang’s modus operandi, police said the accused obtained financial details of foreign nationals such as loans they had taken and their salaries.

The gang members then called such people, pretending to be from tax authorities in respective countries, and told them that they owed “loan tax” which can be paid through bitcoins, he said.