Indian man convicted in
call-center fraud case scamming
Americans out of millions
Fox News,
by
Bradford Betz
Original Article
Posted By: Pluperfect,
1/10/2020 4:39:12 AM
An Indian national pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Texas Thursday for his role in operating an India-based call center that defrauded U.S. citizens out of millions.
Hitesh Madhubhai Patel, 43, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, general conspiracy to commit identification fraud, access device fraud, money laundering and impersonation of a federal officer, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said. "Hitesh Patel played a prominent role in this massive, India-based fraud scheme that bilked vulnerable Americans out of millions of dollars," Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski said.
Reply 1 - Posted by:
PCMM 1/10/2020 4:42:54 AM (No. 284108)
INDIANa man ... FIFY.
1 person likes this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
PCMM 1/10/2020 4:49:37 AM (No. 284109)
Oops ... got my stories crossed (Re #1). Apologies!
1 person likes this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
worried 1/10/2020 7:11:28 AM (No. 284181)
The people who wee scammed should have questioned it when the scammer said (in a high-pitched voice) "Thank you. Come again.
3 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
F15 Gork 1/10/2020 7:13:54 AM (No. 284184)
Your first clue you are being scammed is that the Gomer on the other end of the line can’t speak very good English - these guys really are doing the work no American will do.
7 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
blueline 1/10/2020 7:16:49 AM (No. 284186)
#1, unfortunately, senior citizens, lonely individuals i.e. widows/widowers, and just "good folks" who let their guard down when they answer their phone, etc.
I've seen the reports of grandmas and grandpas who've lost their entire life's savings; their "nest egg" for retirement, left destitute at the hands of someone like this. Lonely widows and widowers who wanted companionship or just someone to talk to, who end up penniless. It's heartbreaking and infuriating.
For this guy, and all the others like him, I'd recommend:
1. Identify the tallest tree at the courthouse;
2. Get a short piece of rope;
You can figure out the rest.
9 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
blueline 1/10/2020 7:17:43 AM (No. 284187)
Sorry; that comment was in reference to O/P.
0 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Lazyman 1/10/2020 8:01:52 AM (No. 284213)
You don't let strangers in your house and that goes for incoming phone calls too. One down and about 10,000 more of these scams. Maybe when our elected representatives get done dividing the country, they can see that the public requires their real service and put a stop to this.
5 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
Mushroom 1/10/2020 9:18:17 AM (No. 284295)
#4 Have you actually dealt with some of the lower level Federal and State employees lately? I can assure you the accents are just as thick.
6 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Hardright 1/10/2020 9:43:49 AM (No. 284332)
We never answer the phone unless we know who's calling. We get at least 10 robo calls a day and on some days over 20. When will this stop!
7 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
hershey 1/10/2020 9:44:49 AM (No. 284334)
Ya know, with caller id, just don't answer the phone if you don't know the caller...some cracked English wanker called the other day and said I'd won Publisher Clearing House contest...he was a bit incoherent...I asked him what I had to do to claim the prize, and he said I had to 'register' with a government agency and when I asked who, he said the Post Office...then I had to send $500.
I forgot to ask him when the 3 guys and the hot chick were coming with the roses and check and hung up first...
1 person likes this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
GO3 1/10/2020 10:01:22 AM (No. 284355)
Even if I call them, e.g., upgrading to a new phone, etc. I've about given up doing business over the phone with these barely English speaking, outsourced call centers. If I'm able, I go to the store or service center and do business in person. I can usually accomplish the same task in about 25% of the time in comparison to talking to these well meaning, but cheap labor substitutes.
2 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
JHHolliday 1/10/2020 11:33:51 AM (No. 284430)
I get one of these scam calls every few days. The latest was a message that someone had stolen my identity and was going to wipe my computer clean if I didn't respond because they could 'help' me prevent it. That sing-song voice is usually a dead giveaway. I got one a few weeks ago that said I was going to be arrested by the FBI but they could also keep me out of jail. We can laugh about it but we aren't the ones they are targeting. They make millions of these calls looking for that one-hundredth of one percent who will fall for it. They look for the slightly senile elderly or the really low IQ impaired citizen. If it were up to me I would have these scammers promptly executed.
3 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
Sanddollar 1/10/2020 1:14:33 PM (No. 284551)
He should be sent to the dungeon where he has to listen to a phone ring every five minutes and be forced to listen to scam artists' pitches for the next 20 years. And during meals it should ring every minute
'
I know people hurt financially by these calls.
2 people like this.
They should be deported. Amazing how many come to this country for a better life and make sure they take ours. Look how many own convenience stores and rip off EBT.
Since I changed my message on the phone to say "Message line. My house isn't for sale and I have insurance" the robo calls are almost nil.
0 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
crazyzebra908 1/14/2020 6:17:10 AM (No. 287941)
Glad to know that one of those criminals have been arrested. I believe there are still so many of them out there. I still read many reports filed at social media and complaint boards like http://whycall.me everyday about those IRS scams. Hopefully law enforcement will be able to track down those scammers and arrest them all.
0 people like this.
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Who falls for these things?