Film Shows How Americans Are Scammed By Indian Call Centers

MUMBAI, (IANS) – The streaming documentary ‘Bogus Phone Operators’ unravels one of the biggest call center scams in India.

The documentary exposes the ‘Thane Call Center Scam’ and goes behind the criminal networks operating from India that swindled the American citizens while sitting in India.

A group of 600 deceptive call center employees in Maharashtra’s Thane, allegedly collaborated to pull off a fraud involving over 15,000 Americans, resulting in estimated losses exceeding $50 million.

The documentary provides an in-depth exploration of this scam, which prompted collaboration between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Indian Police to uncover the ‘Thane Call Centre Scam’.

The investigative crime documentary is on IN10 Media Network’s global premium membership-based OTT platform, DocuBay.

Girish Dwibhashyam, COO of DocuBay, explained the motive behind producing the documentary, as he said: “The shocking ‘Thane Call Centre Scam’ compelled us to act. The story of hundreds of employees in a seemingly legitimate call center in Mumbai suburbs allegedly swindling thousands of Americans needed to be shared with global audiences.”

“‘Bogus Phone Operators’ aims to uncover the masterminds behind these crimes. The filmmakers have investigated and explored the complexities of this scam industry, which appears to be just the tip of the iceberg,” he added.

Despite law enforcement efforts, the documentary showcases how these criminal networks persist with impunity, highlighting the necessity for international cooperation and heightened awareness.

The documentary is helmed by National Award-winning filmmaker Satya Prakash Upadhyaya.

Satya said: “As someone who has fallen victim to scam calls, this documentary serves as my urgent plea to safeguard our digital world. We must educate citizens before these scams pose an insurmountable threat to society.”

During the research and filming process, the team collaborated with experts, media, lawyers, and call center employees to navigate challenges. Months of research and collaboration with Indian Police and the FBI were crucial in establishing communication with victims, who shared first-hand accounts of the scam’s impact on their lives.

“The documentary serves as a reminder of the pervasive threat of cybercrime and the importance of remaining vigilant in an increasingly connected world,” said Yule Kurup, producer at Nirvaan Entertainment.

“Through our examination of the ‘Thane Call Center Scam’, we aim to raise awareness and empower viewers to protect themselves from similar fraudulent schemes.”