TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Authorities in India have arrested four Taiwanese involved in a fraud ring that reportedly targeted elderly people across multiple Indian states.
The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police arrested 17 people in multiple cities on Oct. 11, including four Taiwanese nationals, reported the Indian Express. Two of the Taiwanese have since been released from custody, but two others remain in custody for questioning.
A court in Ahmedabad ruled on Thursday (Oct. 24) that police may keep the two men in custody for an additional 10 days, reported the Times of India. The two men, aged 42 and 33, were responsible for the criminal operation, which was active in at least six Indian states.
The fraud ring conducted “digital arrest” operations, in which vulnerable people were convinced that they were under investigation by the police or other government authorities. The fraudsters would then extort money from the victim, convincing them they were paying fines or processing fees to resolve the problem.
Reports indicate that the fraud ring operated out of call centers that appeared like legitimate businesses. Authorities believe up to 1,000 people had been targeted nationwide by the organization.
According to the Times of India, the two Taiwanese men still being held by authorities developed a mobile app that was central to the criminal operation. The app included a digital wallet, which allowed for money transfers from victims’ accounts into their own, with some money reportedly finding its way into crypto accounts in Dubai.
