New Delhi: US and Indian law enforcement agencies have intensified cooperation to combat transnational cyber fraud, with a recent joint operation leading to the dismantling of scam call centres in India responsible for stealing nearly $50 million.
Suhel Daud, the FBI’s Legal Attaché at the US Embassy in New Delhi, highlighted the critical role of international partnerships in countering these organised criminal networks. “The FBI works closely with Indian law enforcement through established legal and operational partnerships,” he said. “Our cooperation includes intelligence sharing, joint investigative coordination, capacity building, and technical exchanges.”
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported that losses from cyber-enabled crime and fraud reached $16.6 billion in 2024, a 33% increase from the previous year. Criminals exploit rapidly evolving technologies, including artificial intelligence to generate fake images, emails, and voices, making scams increasingly convincing.
Many operations are run from overseas call centres that impersonate government agencies, businesses, or tech support services via phone calls, texts, and emails. These schemes prey on victims’ trust, often targeting people across age groups by exploiting human psychology rather than technical vulnerabilities.
In a prominent recent case, a joint investigation involving the FBI Baltimore Field Office, Montgomery County Police Department, and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office traced fraud schemes affecting Maryland residents and hundreds of other Americans to organised call centres in India. Acting on shared intelligence, India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted raids in December 2025, dismantling the operations and arresting six Indian nationals identified as leaders of the syndicates.
The arrests followed coordinated efforts where US authorities assisted in gathering victim testimony and tracing financial trails, while Indian agencies pursued local perpetrators. “This evidence and victim testimony ensure that call centre operators in India are held accountable in court,” Daud explained. “Without this cooperation, the case cannot be prosecuted.”
Such successes disrupt broader criminal ecosystems by severing financial channels, digital infrastructure, and recruitment networks. Multiple similar operations have yielded results in recent months, demonstrating the effectiveness of bilateral collaboration.
Daud stressed the importance of public awareness and reporting. “Awareness is one of our strongest defences,” he said. “Even a brief pause can help people recognise a scam.” Victims are urged to report incidents to authorities, as even partial reports help identify patterns and enable further disruptions.
As cybercriminals continue to adapt, sustained cross-border engagement remains essential. “This partnership is about building durable institutional strength, not just solving isolated cases,” Daud added.
This article is based on reporting by SPAN magazine, a publication of the US Embassy in New Delhi. SPAN has promoted understanding between the United States and India since 1960, covering topics in science, technology, education, culture, and bilateral relations in English, Hindi, and Urdu.
