Kerala police intensify probe into loan app racket targeting American citizens; hunt on for kingpin
Kerala police have dismantled an international loan app racket operating from a call center in Thiruvananthapuram that targeted American citizens. Authorities have arrested 13 individuals and are currently searching for the alleged mastermind.
Why it matters
This highlights the growing issue of cross-border cybercrime and the use of local infrastructure in India to facilitate international financial fraud.
A day after stumbling upon a sophisticated international loan app racket that operated from a makeshift call centre in Sreekaryam, the Thiruvananthapuram City police have gathered further information regarding the syndicate that primarily targeted foreign nationals.
The operation, which functioned under the guise of an IT company at a rented office at Chenthi, was unearthed during a raid conducted as part of the anti-drug enforcement drive Operation Toofan on Monday.
While nearly 20 people were apprehended during the operation, 13 employees, all natives of northern India, have been arrested. The seized items include 41 computers along with several digital storage devices and other electronic equipment.
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