Delhi police bust call centre network, detain 21 Telugu-speaking telecallers.
TCSB Director Goel said the call centre network had been operating for approximately one-and-a-half years.
- The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau busted three fraudulent call centres in Delhi’s Shiva Market, arresting 21 Telugu-speaking women telecallers and a bank account holder.
- The network, run by three absconding organisers—Lalith Singh, Kuldeep Singh and Anil—had been operating for about 18 months, targeting Telangana residents with fake loan offers.
- Callers impersonated NBFC representatives, demanded upfront fees for processing, verification and insurance, and used intimidation and blackmail when victims sought refunds.
- Investigators seized 23 mobile phones and two bank passbooks, linking the network to 22 cybercrime cases so far, with more under investigation.
- TGCSB warned citizens to verify loan offers independently and report suspicious calls immediately via 1930 or the national cybercrime portal.
In a coordinated cross-state operation, the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has dismantled a sophisticated cybercrime network running out of three fraudulent call centres in New Delhi, arresting 21 Telugu-speaking women telecallers and a male bank account holder. The bust, announced on Monday, August 10, ends a nearly 18-month scam that targeted unsuspecting residents across Telangana with fake loan offers, siphoning money through carefully scripted calls and intimidation tactics.
A well-oiled fraud machine
The three call centres, located in Shiva Market in Delhi, were run by separate teams headed by Lalith Singh, Kuldeep Singh and Anil, all of whom remain absconding. TGCSB Director Shikha Goel said the network had been operational for about one-and-a-half years, recruiting Telugu-speaking women aged 25 to 40 to pose as representatives of a non-banking financial company (NBFC), often impersonating staff from well-known firms like Bajaj Finance. Many of the telecallers were from Korutla in Jagtial district, Saidabad and Borabanda in Hyderabad, and Mahabubnagar district.
The fraudsters followed a rehearsed script to gain victims’ trust, offering attractive loan approvals and then demanding payments for processing, verification, documentation and insurance charges. Once the money was transferred, the accused either cut off contact or continued to demand more payments, falsely assuring victims that their loans were about to be approved. When victims questioned the transactions or asked for refunds, the callers resorted to intimidation, threatening legal action, reputational damage and misuse of personal information and identity documents to discourage them from approaching the police.
Raids, arrests and evidence
During the operation, TGCSB sleuths conducted simultaneous raids at the three centres, seizing 23 mobile phones and two bank passbooks. The arrested accused included team leaders, telecallers and the bank account holder who facilitated the movement of illicit funds. Investigators have so far linked the network to 22 cybercrime cases registered across Telangana, with more cases expected to surface as the probe continues.
Goel said the investigation revealed a well-structured cyber fraud network that deliberately recruited Telugu-speaking women to exploit the linguistic and cultural comfort of victims. “The fraudsters used women aged 25 to 40, who are fluent in Telugu, to gain the confidence of victims, target unsuspecting people across Telangana, impersonate representatives of an NBFC and offer attractive loan approvals to carry out the fraud,” she said.
A warning to citizens
The TGCSB has urged citizens to exercise caution when receiving unsolicited calls offering loans. Before paying any processing fee, verification charge or other amount, people should independently verify the authenticity of the caller and the lending company by checking official websites, calling customer care numbers listed on those sites, or visiting bank branches. The bureau also reminded the public that legitimate lenders do not demand upfront payments for loan approvals and that any such request should be treated as a red flag.
Victims of cyber fraud are encouraged to report incidents immediately by calling 1930 or filing complaints through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in. Quick reporting can help authorities freeze accounts and recover funds before the money is laundered further.