Man held for allegedly running fake US loan call centre scam from Danilimda residence

The Danilimda police have arrested a city-based man for allegedly running a sophisticated online fraud operation targeting citizens in the United States from his residence in Ahmedabad.

The accused, identified as Sahil Mustaqali Mirza, 28, a resident of Sridevi Park Society in Danilimda, was arrested on June 3 following a raid conducted by a surveillance squad attached to Danilimda police station.

Police said they received specific intelligence that Mirza was operating an illegal call centre-like setup from his home and was contacting American citizens under the guise of reputed loan service providers. Acting on the information, a police team conducted a raid at his residence and allegedly discovered electronic devices, customer databases and communication records linked to the suspected fraud.

Investigators alleged that Mirza posed as a representative of loan companies operating under the names “Prosper Finance” and “Lending Tree”. Using applications such as Google Voice and TextNow, he allegedly displayed US-based phone numbers while contacting prospective victims in America.

The accused would inform victims that their loan applications had been approved but could not be processed because of low credit scores. He allegedly persuaded them to pay processing fees, security deposits and insurance charges by claiming that these payments would improve their credit scores and ensure disbursal of the loan amount.

Police said forged loan approval documents bearing the names of purported finance companies were sent to victims to gain their confidence. Once victims agreed to make payments, they were allegedly directed to transfer money through QR codes linked to the Cash App payment platform or through gift cards.

During interrogation, Mirza allegedly admitted that he received leads and customer data through Telegram groups and WhatsApp channels. Investigators claimed he earned commissions on payments made by victims and coordinated with other individuals involved in the operation.

A search of the premises led to the seizure of a laptop, two Apple mobile phones, a broadband router, headphones equipped with a microphone and digital records containing personal information of American citizens. Police said the seized devices contained spreadsheets, notes and communication records relating to prospective victims, as well as email accounts allegedly used in the fraud.

The total value of the seized equipment has been estimated at approximately ₹ 25,500. Authorities have also recovered digital evidence, including call histories, email accounts and customer databases, which are being examined as part of the investigation.

The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy, as well as provisions of the Information Technology Act dealing with cyber fraud and impersonation.

Police officials said further investigation is underway to identify other members of the network, trace financial transactions and determine the extent of the alleged international fraud operation. Investigators are also examining links with online groups that allegedly supplied victim databases and payment details used in the scheme.