US court indicts India-based call centre, 2 Indians in phone scam

An India-based call centre and three individuals, including two Indians, on Tuesday were indicted by a US court for their alleged involvement in a tele-fraud scheme targeting Americans.

The scheme led victims to believe that they owed taxes and fees to the US' Internal Revenue Service (IRS), federal authorities said.

Mohit Devendrabhai Sharma and Kunal Jagdishbhai Sharma, both of whom are Indians, Julliette Belle Carter and a call centre named Skyz International Outsourcing BPO were involved in a transnational criminal organisation that victimised US residents through the sophisticated international telephone scheme, they said.

The call centre is based in Gujarat.

While Carter was arrested in Canada pursuant to an extradition request, two other Indian defendants and the call centre in India were also charged for their alleged involvement in the fraud.

The indictment charges them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

"Using lists of US residents' personal identifiable information, ...