Kolkata Police bust fake Microsoft call centre targeting US citizens, 8 arrested

The fake call centre was operating out of a residential flat in south Kolkata’s Maheshtala area, authorities said on Friday.

The arrests followed a pre-dawn raid by the Kolkata Police cyber cell, which dismantled what officers described as a well-organised international scam network.

How the fake call centre operated

According to investigators, the accused posed as Microsoft technical support executives and lured victims by circulating fake customer care numbers on online platforms accessed in the US.

When unsuspecting users called these numbers seeking assistance, they were connected to callers who convincingly presented themselves as official Microsoft representatives.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime & Traffic) Rupesh Kumar said the victims were persuaded to install remote access software, allowing the fraudsters to take control of their computers without authorisation.

Tools such as TeamViewer, UltraViewer and AnyDesk were allegedly used to gain full access to the victims’ systems.

Once inside, the accused reportedly hacked banking portals and siphoned off money directly from accounts.

Funds routed through digital wallets, gift cards

Police said the stolen funds were moved through multiple channels to avoid detection.

In some cases, the money was routed via digital wallets, while in others it was converted into Apple gift cards, a common tactic used in international cyber scams to obscure money trails.

Investigators also revealed that the gang relied on advanced VPN services to mask their identities and locations, making it harder for foreign agencies to trace the fraud back to India.

Pre-dawn raid in Maheshtala

The operation was being run from a flat inside the Greenfield City housing complex in Maheshtala.

During the raid, officers seized five laptops, two Wi-Fi routers, twelve mobile phones, and a significant amount of digital evidence believed to contain records of overseas victims and financial transactions.

Police confirmed that one of the arrested is only 18 years old.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Junaid Ali, Md Sakir, Md Khurshid Akhtar, Shadab Khan, Kundan Roy, Md Hussain Ahmed Khan, Zakir Khan and Sk Amirulla.

They are residents of several areas across Kolkata, including Garden Reach, Entally, Beniapukur, Tiljala, New Market and Karaya, as well as Serampore in Hooghly district.

Officials said a detailed forensic and financial investigation is underway to determine the scale of the fraud and whether additional masterminds or associates are involved.

Authorities are also working to trace international money flows and identify victims in the US.