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| Police in India detain 750 over US call centre scam | Police in India detain 750 over US call centre scam |
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| Police in the western Indian city of Thane have arrested more than 750 people suspected of defrauding US citizens from a fake call centre. | Police in the western Indian city of Thane have arrested more than 750 people suspected of defrauding US citizens from a fake call centre. |
| Officers say the suspects obtained lists of US tax defaulters and used threats to obtain their bank details. | Officers say the suspects obtained lists of US tax defaulters and used threats to obtain their bank details. |
| The scam is said to have netted more than $150,000 (£118,000) a day, making it one of the biggest frauds in India's history. | The scam is said to have netted more than $150,000 (£118,000) a day, making it one of the biggest frauds in India's history. |
| Thane police officials said they were contacting the FBI to ask for help. | Thane police officials said they were contacting the FBI to ask for help. |
| Some 70 of those detained were formally arrested, police said, with the rest released pending further inquiries. Nine people believed to have led the scam have been identified. | Some 70 of those detained were formally arrested, police said, with the rest released pending further inquiries. Nine people believed to have led the scam have been identified. |
| The scammers pretended to be members of the US Inland Revenue Service, and told victims they owed back taxes. | The scammers pretended to be members of the US Inland Revenue Service, and told victims they owed back taxes. |
| In some cases, the victims were duped into buying gift vouchers from different companies and bullied into revealing voucher ID numbers, police said. | In some cases, the victims were duped into buying gift vouchers from different companies and bullied into revealing voucher ID numbers, police said. |
| The scammers then made purchases with the voucher numbers. | The scammers then made purchases with the voucher numbers. |
| Police say those involved in the scam at the Indian end retained 70% of the earnings, with 30% going to their US collaborators. | Police say those involved in the scam at the Indian end retained 70% of the earnings, with 30% going to their US collaborators. |
| Paramvir Singh, the police commissioner of Thane, told reporters that 851 hard disks, high-end servers, and other electronic equipment had been seized. | Paramvir Singh, the police commissioner of Thane, told reporters that 851 hard disks, high-end servers, and other electronic equipment had been seized. |
| Mr Singh said overnight raids on Wednesday had lasted well into the morning, and involved more than 200 policemen who had raided buildings in three locations in the city. | Mr Singh said overnight raids on Wednesday had lasted well into the morning, and involved more than 200 policemen who had raided buildings in three locations in the city. |
| Thane police superintendent Mahesh Patil told BBC Hindi that the investigation could open up cases from other countries as well. |