Goa police dismantled an illegal call centre operating from the Verna Industrial Estate in South Goa and arrested 26 people in the early hours of May 28, 2026, after investigators said the setup was being used to cheat United States citizens. The group allegedly posed as officials from U.S.-based banks using internet-based calling systems and false identities, then pushed victims to transfer money under false pretences, often through gift cards.
The arrests came after police found the operation running from a factory hub in Verna and took into custody people who were all living in rented accommodation in Sancoale, also in South Goa. Those detained came from several states, including Nagaland, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Police also seized 145 laptops, 45 mobile phones, routers, headphones and other electronic accessories used in the alleged fraud, with the value of the equipment estimated at about ₹55 lakh.
Investigators said the call centre was being used to target foreign nationals by impersonating technical support agents and investment advisers. Victims were reportedly manipulated into sharing sensitive financial and personal information, while officials said spoofed communication systems helped the operation look legitimate. The case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.
The Goa bust is one of the clearest examples yet of how online scam operations can be hidden inside ordinary industrial spaces and rental housing while reaching victims thousands of miles away. Suspicious data seized during the raid has been sent for forensic examination, and investigators are now working to determine the total financial losses caused by the alleged scam.
The bigger question for police is whether Verna was a stand-alone operation or part of a wider cyber fraud network. Authorities suspect it may be linked to an international racket, and further arrests cannot be ruled out as the investigation continues.
