Overview

• The illegal call centre, Magnetel BPS & Consultants LLP, operated from a commercial building in Pune's Kharadi area since August 2024.
• Police arrested five key operators and detained 123 staff members, including 12 women, for questioning about their involvement.
• The operation extorted $30,000–$40,000 daily from US citizens, primarily senior and retired individuals, through threats of arrest and coercion to buy gift cards.
• Authorities seized 64 laptops, 41 phones, and other equipment containing VPN software, suspicious applications, and contact data of thousands of US nationals.
• Investigations are ongoing into the financial networks, recruitment practices, and the absconding suspects linked to this international cyber fraud scheme.