Three people are arrested after the CBI busts a cybercrime gang that operates out of apartments in Pune.

CBI has busted an international cybercrime ring involving VoIP spoofing and phishing scams targeting U.S. citizens. Three individuals were arrested for defrauding ₹4 crore.

Cyber Crime Jul 27, 2025 0 12 Add to Reading List

Three people are arrested after the CBI busts a cybercrime gang that operates out of apartments in Pune.

CBI Busts Cybercrime Ring Using VoIP Spoofing to Scam U.S. Citizens; ₹4 Crore Defrauded

Mumbai, July 25, 2025 — In a major crackdown, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested three individuals involved in an international cybercrime racket accused of using VoIP spoofing and phishing calls to defraud victims, primarily in the United States, of over ₹3–4 crore.

Multi-City Raids and Arrests

The CBI conducted coordinated raids across seven locations in Pune and Mumbai between July 24 and July 25, resulting in the arrest of:

Amit Dube
Tarun Shenai
Gonsalves Savio

All three were produced before a special CBI court in Mumbai, which remanded them to CBI custody till July 30 for further interrogation.

Illegal Operations Uncovered

During the raids, officials recovered:

27 mobile phones
17 laptops
₹1.60 lakh in unexplained cash
Over 150 grams of suspected narcotic substances

A search of the suspects’ electronic devices also revealed ₹6.94 lakh worth of cryptocurrency, and an additional ₹9.60 lakh in cash was seized from one accused’s residence.

Sophisticated Fraud Model

Since January 2025, the accused have been operating a network of fake call centers disguised as legitimate businesses across residential apartments in Pune. Their methods included:

VoIP spoofing to fake caller IDs
Phishing calls impersonating authorities such as:

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Indian diplomatic entities

Victims were coerced under the threat of legal action into transferring amounts ranging from $500 to $3,000, typically via cryptocurrency or gift cards.

Use of Social Media and Hawala Channels

The racket utilized platforms like WhatsApp and Signal to:

Purchase illegally obtained contact leads
Distribute toll-free numbers
Conduct spoofed calls

Employees were hired and paid using hawala routes, with funds sourced from Maharashtra, Gujarat, and the U.S.

Banking System Misuse

Investigations revealed that some public and private sector bank officials may have facilitated the scam by:

Helping create fake bank accounts
Accepting forged KYC documents
Violating RBI guidelines

The illegally acquired funds were laundered through mule accounts, cryptocurrency wallets, and hawala transactions, amounting to a monthly turnover of ₹3–4 crore, according to preliminary estimates.

Conclusion

The case highlights the growing complexity of transnational cybercrimes and the urgent need for stricter monitoring of digital communication tools and financial systems. The CBI’s ongoing investigation is expected to uncover further links in the network, including possible international connections and additional bank involvement.

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CBI busts major cybercrime ring using VoIP spoofing and phishing calls to scam Americans. ₹4 crore fraud uncovered; cryptocurrency and fake bank accounts used for laundering.