The raid
On October 14, police in Lonavala, a town in Indiaâs Pune district, raided a villa.
It didnât look like an office. But inside, police say, people were working in the living room and the bedrooms. They had laptops, mobile phones and headsets, and they were making internet calls in English.
When questioned, the people inside admitted a call center was running there. But they couldnât show a license for it.
Twenty people were arrested.
Police seized laptops, phones, cash and cars worth 36.41 lakh rupees, or about 3.6 million rupees.
The trick, according to police
Think of a costume party where everyone dresses up as someone you trust. Police say thatâs what this group did, over the phone.
- They pretended to be from big companies, including Amazon and Google.
- They used fake documents and fake ID cards to seem real.
- They called people in the United States, Canada and other countries.
- Their goal was to get peopleâs bank details and credit and ATM card numbers.
- Police say they also scared some victims, claiming drugs had been found in a package the victim ordered, and then demanded money.
Accused, not convicted
These are accusations from the police. Police have filed a case against all 20 people. None has been found guilty.
How to protect yourself (our advice)
- If âAmazonâ or âGoogleâ calls you out of the blue, hang up.
- Check your account yourself, using the app or website you normally use.
- Never give your bank or card details to someone who called you.
- If someone says your package had drugs in it and you have to pay, thatâs a scare tactic. Hang up.
Sources
- Free Press Journal, â20 Arrested For Duping US, Canadian Citizens Through Illegal Call Centre In Lonavalaâ (Oct. 16, 2026): freepressjournal.in
- Rediff News / PTI, âPolice Bust Illegal Call Centre In Lonavala, Arrest 20 For Defrauding Foreignersâ (Oct. 16, 2026): rediff.com