Bengaluru: A fraudulent call centre operating near Hulimavu police station, allegedly involved in cybercrime and stock trading scams, was raided on Friday. The operation led to the arrest of Jithendra Kumar alias Jithu, a 20-something engineering graduate from Bihar, and his associate Chandan Kumar, 33, from Uttar Pradesh.

The raid, carried out by a special team led by inspector BG Kumaraswamy under the supervision of DCP (south-east) Sarah Fathima, uncovered a year-old setup on Bannerghatta Road disguised as ‘Fenix Interiors.’

Police discovered 36 keypad mobile phones, five laptops, five computers, two motherboards, a dongle, and detailed data on 9,000 individuals with demat accounts. The centre had employed seven women and eight men, who were trained to monitor stock market trends and cold-call demat account holders, offering bogus investment advice.

Modus Operandi

Jithu procured personal data via the dark web for ₹3,000 and targeted investors without holding a SEBI license. Employees guessed stock price movements and persuaded account holders to invest, promising high returns. The scammers charged 30% of the profits as commission, though most clients suffered losses. Only 1-2% profited, paying their commission, of which Jithu retained 15%. To evade detection, SIM cards were routinely replaced.

Investigation Ongoing

Police suspect Jithu’s claim of earning ₹18 lakh is an understatement and are examining his financial transactions. Cases have been filed under BNS Sections 318 and 112, along with violations under the Information Technology and Digital Personal Data Protection Acts.

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