A suspected fake call centre allegedly involved in customer support and banking fraud has been uncovered in Lucknow’s Omaxe Residency during a joint operation by the Crime Branch and Sushant Golf City Police.

Eight individuals were detained from the premises during a raid that began late Thursday night and continued into Friday morning.

According to police, the facility was allegedly being used to impersonate customer support representatives, obtain confidential banking information and facilitate unauthorised financial transactions.

The allegations remain under investigation, and the legal responsibility of those detained has not yet been determined.

Suspected Customer Support Fraud Operation

Investigators believe the call centre received calls transferred from other operators or intermediaries.

Employees allegedly posed as customer support executives and attempted to convince callers that they were speaking with legitimate representatives of banks, companies or service providers.

Once trust was established, victims were allegedly persuaded to disclose sensitive information, including:

• One-time passwords
• Debit or credit card details
• Bank account information
• Mobile banking credentials
• Other personal financial data

Police are investigating whether this information was subsequently used to carry out fraudulent transactions.

Digital Devices Seized During Raid

During the search, authorities reportedly recovered:

• Mobile phones
• Laptop computers
• Electronic storage devices
• Communication equipment
• Other digital material

The seized devices are being examined by forensic investigators to identify the nature and scale of the alleged operation.

Investigators are expected to analyse:

• Call records
• Messaging applications
• Internet browsing activity
• Stored customer data
• Financial transaction records
• Login credentials
• Communication with suspected associates

Two-Person Teams Allegedly Used

Preliminary findings indicate that the operation may have functioned through small teams consisting of two individuals.

According to investigators, the roles were allegedly divided between an “opener” and a “closer.”

The opener reportedly initiated contact, engaged the potential victim and attempted to build credibility.

The closer allegedly took over the conversation and persuaded the victim to disclose banking information, share an OTP or complete a financial transaction.

Police are examining the responsibilities assigned to each detained individual and whether supervisors or organisers were operating remotely.

Calls Reportedly Routed From Overseas

Investigators stated that several incoming calls may have originated from or been routed through overseas communication networks.

This reportedly resulted in the suspected call centre operating primarily during nighttime hours to match foreign time zones.

Authorities are analysing:

• International call-routing records
• VoIP infrastructure
• Internet protocol addresses
• Foreign communication accounts
• Remote access software
• Overseas payment channels

The objective is to determine whether the Lucknow operation was linked to a larger cross-border cybercrime network.

Possible Connection With Earlier Call Centre Case

Police are also investigating whether the operation has any connection with another suspected fake call centre recently identified in Lucknow.

Digital evidence from both cases may be compared to identify common:

• Phone numbers
• Email addresses
• Internet infrastructure
• Bank accounts
• Payment wallets
• Supervisors
• Call scripts
• Victim databases

Any confirmed overlap could indicate that multiple local centres were operating under a shared network.

Social Engineering at the Core of Fraud

A researcher associated with Algoritha Security observed that fake call centre operations often rely more heavily on psychological manipulation than advanced hacking techniques.

Fraudsters may create urgency by falsely claiming that:

• A bank account has been blocked.
• A transaction requires immediate verification.
• A refund is pending.
• A customer’s KYC has expired.
• A card has been compromised.
• Technical support is required.

By creating fear or urgency, callers attempt to prevent victims from independently verifying the claim.

Forensic Analysis May Reveal Wider Network

Digital forensic examination of the seized devices may help investigators determine:

• Who controlled the operation
• How victims were selected
• How scripts and data were distributed
• Where stolen funds were transferred
• Whether mule bank accounts were used
• Whether additional call centres were involved
• How many individuals may have been targeted

Investigators may also recover deleted messages, call recordings and browser records from the seized equipment.

Money Trail Under Examination

Authorities are expected to trace the financial movement associated with the alleged fraud.

The investigation may involve examining:

• Bank accounts
• UPI IDs
• Payment wallets
• Cryptocurrency transactions
• Merchant accounts
• Mule accounts
• Cash withdrawals

Police are attempting to identify the ultimate beneficiaries of any allegedly fraudulent transactions and determine whether the detained individuals were employees, coordinators or operators.

How Users Can Recognise Fake Support Calls

Customers should treat unsolicited support calls with caution, particularly when callers request:

• OTPs
• UPI PINs
• Card CVVs
• Screen-sharing access
• Remote-control applications
• Immediate payments
• Transfers to personal accounts

Banks and legitimate service providers generally do not ask customers to disclose confidential authentication credentials over the phone.

Users should disconnect suspicious calls and contact the organisation through its official website, application or verified customer care number.

Investigation Continues

Police said further legal action will be based on the digital, technical and financial evidence recovered during the raid.

Investigators are working to:

• Identify the organisers
• Locate additional suspects
• Trace suspected proceeds
• Examine international links
• Identify victims
• Determine the complete scale of the alleged network

The investigation remains ongoing, and additional arrests or searches may follow if further evidence emerges.

Shunyatax Global Insight

Shunyatax Global says that fake call centres operate successfully because victims often trust the caller’s confidence, technical language and apparent knowledge of personal details. Businesses should strengthen customer awareness, monitor misuse of their brand identity and establish clear verification procedures. Individuals should never disclose OTPs, PINs or remote-device access during an unsolicited call and should independently verify every financial request through an official channel.