Lucknow: A day after Lucknow police busted a sophisticated multi-layered cyber fraud call centre operating from the Vrindavan Yojna area, which swindled crores of rupees from unsuspecting victims across India, as many as 15 individuals, mostly from Bihar and Jharkhand, were arrested. They were allegedly lured into the racket under the pretext of lucrative job offers, only to be made pawns in a widespread scam.The accused were recruited through attractive job advertisements posted on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, promising salaries ranging between Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 per month. “These were not random hires. The gang conducted a series of staged telephonic interviews and online aptitude tests to lend an air of authenticity to the process. The candidates were told they were selected for jobs in customer service, e-commerce support, and online gaming platforms,” police said.ADCP, crime, Vasanth Kumar said that once recruited, the individuals were brought to Lucknow and housed in a rented apartment in Vrindavan Yojna which doubled as their residence and a full-fledged cyber fraud call centre. For most, it was their first time in a big city. As part of the onboarding process, they were subjected to systematic training for a week, where they were taught how to operate fake websites and mobile apps, methods to spoof caller identities, use of pre-written scripts to manipulate and convince victims, and techniques for digital payment fraud, including UPI and wallet redirections, said Kumar.“They were given training manuals, mock call practice sessions and target-based performance goals—similar to corporate setups,” said a senior officer involved in the probe. However, once inside, the recruits were cut off from the outside world. “We were told not to step out of the apartment or talk to outsiders. Food, clothes and basic amenities were delivered to the flat. We were warned never to discuss our work—even with each other beyond a point,” one of the arrested accused confessed during questioning.The police said the racket duped around 1,000 people across India by offering fake online services and betting schemes. Victims were made to believe they were speaking to customer service agents from reputed companies or betting platforms and money was extracted in the name of registration, fees, and refunds. mastermind Vishal Yadav was found to be a habitual cyber criminal, shifting his base frequently to avoid detection. Police believe he operated remotely using VPNs, encrypted messaging apps and burner email addresses to stay off the radar. His last known location was tracked to Sri Lanka.All 15 accused have been remanded to seven-day police custody, during which they will be interrogated individually to identify further links in the network, including recruiters, trainers, handlers and financial operatives. Their mobile phones, laptops and hard drives have been seized and are being sent for forensic analysis, said ADCP Kumar. “The evidence so far suggests a pan-India scam with international linkages. More arrests are expected in the coming days. We are also working with cybercrime cells in other states to identify similar patterns,” Kumar added.
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