Mulund Police dismantled a fake loan call center targeting US and Canadian citizens, arresting five people. Led by Sagar Rajesh Gupta, they posed as loan officers to extort money via gift cards and cryptocurrency. Laptops, phones, and cash were seized. Investigations continue.
In a major breakthrough against cybercrime, the Mulund Police have busted a fake international call centre operating out of Mulund Colony, Mulund (West). Acting on credible information, officers raided a rented apartment where a group led by Sagar Rajesh Gupta, aged 27, was allegedly impersonating officials from 'Lending Point', a US-based financial company, to defraud unsuspecting citizens in the United States and Canada.
According to the police, the accused were contacting victims through phishing calls and messages, posing as loan officers offering quick personal loans. Once victims were lured in, the fraudsters would extract money in the form of gift cards and cryptocurrency, converting the proceeds into Indian currency with the help of an associate based in Surat, identified as Prashant Rajput.
During the raid, police seized two laptops, eleven mobile phones, two Wi-Fi routers, and Rs 76,000 in cash, all suspected to be linked to the illegal operation. The apartment used as the call centre has been sealed by the authorities.
Investigations revealed that the main accused, Sagar Gupta, had recruited a small team of operators -- known in call-centre jargon as "dialers" and "closers" -- to execute the scam. The arrested individuals have been identified as:
Sagar Rajesh Gupta (27) - Resident of Mulund, Mumbai
Abhishek Suryaprakash Singh (28) - Resident of Mulund, Mumbai
Tanmay Kumar Rajneesh Dhadsing (27) - Resident of Lakhisarai, Bihar
Shailesh Manohar Shetty (27) - Resident of Bhayandar East
Rohan Mohd Ansari (28) - Resident of Thane
All five accused are currently in police custody. A case has been registered under CR No. 1032/2025, invoking multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, along with provisions of the Information Technology Act (Sections 66C and 66D) and the Telecommunication Act (Sections 3(1) and 42(1)).
Senior officials from the Mulund Police Station confirmed that further investigations are underway to identify additional individuals involved in converting illicit digital proceeds and expanding the fraudulent network.
Last month, police in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar busted a similar racket that was allegedly defrauding US citizens by offering PayPal loans and tax settlements.
DCP (crime) Ratnakar Navale, speaking to the Times of India, had described the interiors of the building as a "lavish call centre" where employees, mostly from northeastern states, conversed fluently in English. Each worker had an individual cabin with a laptop, and strict movement restrictions were imposed -- they were only allowed to travel between their accommodation and the call centre." Navale said the staffers were reportedly paid between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000 per month, with food and accommodation provided.