Pune: 23 Accused in Hinjawadi Fake Call Centre Racket; U.S. Citizens Duped

Hinjawadi, 14th November 2025: A joint operation by the Cyber Police Station and Crime Branch Unit 2 of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate has exposed two illegal call centres allegedly involved in duping citizens in the United States. Police have booked 23 people in connection with the racket.

The action followed specific intelligence received by Police Commissioner Vinay Kumar Choubey about suspicious call centre activities in the Hinjawadi area. He immediately instructed teams from the Cyber Police Station and Crime Branch Unit 2 to verify the information and initiate action.

Acting on these directions, Police Inspector Ravikiran Nale and his team from the Cyber Police Station, along with Inspector Arvind Pawar and Crime Branch Unit 2 personnel, conducted surveillance and gathered evidence. After confirming the inputs, the teams raided two units operating illegally in Hinjawadi Phase 2.

One of the establishments, operating under the name Sky High Solution, was found using computers and laptops running software such as TeleCMI, Dialer, and Phound. Staff members allegedly assumed fake identities to contact American citizens, posing as representatives of the US Medical Health Department. Using scripted calls, they claimed that prolonged use of products such as Roundup pesticide, Zantac tablets, and talcum powder could lead to cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or blood-related disorders.

Investigators revealed that the callers collected detailed personal information from victims and forwarded the data to law firms in the US, which then pursued compensation claims on behalf of the individuals. The call centre reportedly received payments in dollars for these referrals.

Another module targeted US citizens by pretending to work for “Community Choice Financial.” Callers offered loans, sought bank account details, login credentials, and other sensitive information through phishing links, and later demanded payments in dollars or gift vouchers under the pretext of fixing poor credit scores.

During the raids, police seized nine desktop computers, two laptops, and several call scripts used to deceive victims. Officials confirmed that both establishments were operating without authorisation and were engaged in fraudulent activities.

An FIR has been registered at the Cyber Police Station against Sky High Solution’s owner, Sagar Kumar Yadav (32) of Hinjawadi Phase 2, and manager Anand Pankaj Sinha (29) of Wagholi, along with seven employees. Further investigation is underway to trace additional beneficiaries and financial links.