Telangana Duo Behind $1.3m Australian Scam Busted by Cyberabad Police
Image Source: Internet
In a major crackdown, Cyberabad police have arrested nine individuals for operating an international fake call centre that targeted Australian citizens, netting a staggering ₹8-10 crore (approximately $1.3 million) over two years. The prime accused, cousins Praveen and Prakash from Telangana's Khammam district, established the fake call centre in 2024, hiring seven people from Kolkata to make fraudulent calls to Australians. The scammers, who went to great lengths to avoid detection, used a coordinated international cyber fraud scheme. They received 'leads' from an unidentified group, which sent fake pop-ups and emails to Australian citizens, claiming their computers had been compromised. Victims were then convinced to allow remote access to their computers, allowing the scammers to gain entry into their online banking accounts and transfer large sums to Australian bank accounts of Indian nationals. The money was later routed to India through hawala networks, cryptocurrency transactions, and other clandestine channels. The investigation revealed that the accused also collected bank account details from Indian students studying in Australia, using those accounts to receive the illegally obtained money. The Cyberabad police apprehended the nine individuals, including two more from Khammam who handled the daily operations of the centre. While nine people have been arrested, others involved in the scam are yet to be apprehended. The police have hailed the operation as a major success in tackling international cybercrime.
