U.S. shuts India-based call centre operation that defrauded elderly Americans
U.S. authorities have shut down an India-based call center operation that allegedly defrauded hundreds of elderly Americans of millions of dollars through tech support scams, following a years-long investigation that led to the conviction of five “telemarketing scammers.”
The investigation resulted in the arrest and conviction of a former employee of the call forwarding company also used by the scammers, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Boston said in a social media post on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
Call center fraud targeted hundreds of elderly victims in the U.S. and abroad, defrauding them of millions of dollars, and two senior executives who ran a business that made it possible admitted to turning a blind eye to the widespread fraud, police said.
“This follows an FBI Boston investigation that resulted in the arrest and conviction of a former employee of the call forwarding company and five telemarketing fraudsters based in India,” he said.
The post stated that American senior citizens deserve dignity, respect and protection, and that those who target them with fraudulent schemes will be brought to justice.
Adam Young, 42, of Miami, and Harrison Gevirtz, 33, of Las Vegas, admitted to operating a business that provided telecommunications-related services, including phone numbers, call forwarding services, call tracking and call forwarding services, to customers they knew were involved in tech support fraud schemes, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island.
Young and Gevirtz pleaded guilty after an investigation launched in 2020 resulted in the conviction of five India-based telemarketing fraudsters and a former employee of a call forwarding company.
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Indian nationals Sahil Narang, Chirag Sachdeva, Abrar Anjum and Manish Kumar were convicted on charges related to India-based telemarketing fraud schemes that targeted and defrauded Americans, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable, the statement said.
The investigation also led to the conviction of Jagmeet Singh Virk in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Officials said India-based call centers used Young and Gevirtz’s business to route “tech scam” calls and, in some cases, provide advice on methods to reduce complaints and prevent account termination.
U.S. officials say tech support scams cost Americans $2.1 billion last year, while Rhode Island residents alone reported losses of at least $5.7 million.
According to court documents, between 2016 and 2022, Young, Gevirtz and others were aware that some of their customers were running tech support fraud schemes using deceptive pop-up messages that falsely alerted computer users that their systems were infected with viruses or malware.
Victims were directed to call phone numbers displayed in pop-ups that linked to call centers where they were persuaded to pay hundreds of dollars for unnecessary or fictitious technical support services.
In some cases, agents remotely accessed victims’ computers to obtain personal and financial information.
Despite receiving numerous complaints and inquiries from telecommunications providers and law enforcement, Young and Gevirtz failed to report the fraudulent schemes and instead advised some customers on techniques to avoid complaints and account closures, court filings said.
They also helped some customers buy and sell fake calls among themselves, officials alleged.
“What the CEO and CSO of this well-known call monitoring and analytics company did was downright despicable,” said Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks of the FBI’s Boston Division.
“By their own admission, they have knowingly profited from telemarketing and technical support scams, domestically and internationally, who prey on the elderly, exploit the vulnerable, and drain victims of their life savings and peace of mind,” he said.
It was published – 21 May 2026 11:20 IST
