India based scamsters defrauded thousands of US residents with millions of scam calls posing as Social Security, IRS officials
US authorities have charged six India-based call centers and their directors with defrauding thousands of US residents with millions of scam calls posing as officials of Social Security administration and IRS.
“These India-based call centers allegedly scared their victims and stole their money, including some victims’ entire life savings,” said Kurt Erskine, US Attorney for Northern District of Georgia announcing the charges in Atlanta Feb 3.
“Scam robocalls cause emotional and financial devastation to victims, particularly our vulnerable and elderly populations,” he said as a superseding indictment was unsealed against the six Indian-based call centers and their directors.
Read: Got a call from the IRS or the USCIS asking for money? Phone scams targeting Indians are on the rise (February 18, 2014)
They were all charged with conspiring with the previously–indicted VoIP provider E Sampark, and its Director, Guarav Gupta, to forward scam calls to tens of millions of scam calls to American consumers.
The call centers and their directors placed the initial scam calls, and the VoIP provider forwarded those calls into this country, whereupon the call centers speak to —and attempt to defraud — the American-based victims, US attorney’s office said in a press release.
“The defendants engaged in multiple scams, often targeting the most…
