A cyber fraud operation targeting Japanese citizens has been disrupted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), resulting in the arrest of six individuals, including four from Uttar Pradesh. The arrests were made on May 28 as part of Operation Chakra V, during simultaneous raids conducted at 19 separate locations across Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
Those apprehended have been identified as Ashu Singh from Delhi, Kapil Ghakhar from Panipat in Haryana, Rohit Maurya of Ayodhya, and Shubham Jaiswal, Vivek Raj, and Adarsh Kumar, all from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
According to the CBI, the accused operated unlawful call centres posing as customer support representatives of well-known multinational firms, including Microsoft. By falsely informing victims that their electronic devices were infected with viruses, the group allegedly convinced them to pay for fictitious technical support services.
&ldquo;These coordinated searches culminated in the arrest of six key operatives and the dismantling of two illegal call centres engaged in a sophisticated transnational tech support scam targeting Japanese citizens,&rdquo; the CBI stated on Thursday.
The investigation was launched following reliable intelligence suggesting the existence of a cybercrime ring exploiting foreign nationals&mdash;particularly Japanese residents&mdash;through impersonation of technical support from globally recognised corporations.
Authorities revealed that funds extracted from the victims were directed into mule bank accounts under the control of the fraudsters. The CBI said that international collaboration played a vital role in the case, with Japan&rsquo;s National Police Agency and Microsoft Corporation providing essential assistance in tracing the structure and operations of the syndicate.
&ldquo;This collaborative international engagement proved critical in identifying the perpetrators and tracing the operational structure of the syndicates, ultimately leading to the successful crackdown in India,&rdquo; the agency confirmed.
Digital materials seized during the operation are now under analysis, with preliminary findings showing the scam relied on a blend of psychological manipulation and technical deceit&mdash;collectively referred to as social engineering&mdash;to defraud victims.
Operation Chakra V is part of a broader initiative aimed at strengthening partnerships between Indian enforcement bodies, overseas police organisations, and international technology companies to combat cyber-enabled financial crimes that operate across national boundaries.
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CBI arrests six in coordinated raids across India for running a fake tech support scam targeting Japanese citizens.

Six Held in Tech Scam on Japanese, Says CBI

CBI arrests six in coordinated raids across India for running a fake tech support scam targeting Japanese citizens.

May 29, 2025 | 13:53 IST