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FBI Shuts India-Based Tech Support Fraud Call Centre Targeting Elderly Americans; Five Convictions, $2.1 Billion Loss

Intl. RelationsSecurity & DefencePolityHIGH
Target:UPSCMPSCTeachingPrelims HighMains Medium
21 May 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:$2.1 billion$5.7 million2016 to 2022
Bodies:FBIU.S. District Court
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.The FBI shut down an India-based call centre operation after a years-long investigation, convicting five Indian nationals (Sahil Narang, Chirag Sachdeva, Abrar Anjum, Manish Kumar, Jagmeet Singh Virk) and two US executives (Adam Young, Harrison Gevirtz) who provided telecom services knowing they were used for fraud.

2.The scam involved deceptive pop-ups warning of viruses/malware, directing victims to call centres where they were persuaded to pay for unnecessary/fictitious tech support services, sometimes involving remote access to steal personal/financial information.

3.Tech support scams cost Americans $2.1 billion last year, with Rhode Island alone reporting losses of at least $5.7 million. The case underscores the role of intermediary businesses in enabling international fraud and the focus on protecting vulnerable populations.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

The FBI shut down an India-based call centre operation involved in tech support fraud targeting elderly Americans, resulting in convictions of five Indian nationals and two US executives who facilitated the scheme. This highlights transnational cybercrime enforcement, jurisdictional challenges, and the vulnerability of specific demographics.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Total Loss from Tech Support Scams (2025)$2.1 billion
Losses Reported in Rhode Island$5.7 million
Number of Convicted Indian Nationals5
Convicted US ExecutivesAdam Young (42, Miami) and Harrison Gevirtz (33, Las Vegas)
Duration of Fraud Operation2016 to 2022
Primary Investigative AgencyFBI Boston
Court of Conviction for Jagmeet Singh VirkU.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Total Loss from Tech Support Scams (2025): $2.1 billion
  • ›Losses Reported in Rhode Island: $5.7 million
  • ›Target this Data: $2.1 billion (loss from tech support scams last year), $5.7 million (losses in Rhode Island), 5 convicted Indian nationals.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), U.S. District Court.
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Conviction of intermediary service providers (Adam Young, Harrison Gevirtz) for knowingly facilitating fraud.

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Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which U.S. federal agency was primarily responsible for investigating and shutting down the India-based call centre fraud operation mentioned in the news?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the news:

1. The fraud operation involved tech support scams that cost Americans $2.1 billion last year.

2. Only the Indian call centre operators were convicted; no US-based individuals were held legally responsible.

3. The scam used deceptive pop-ups to direct victims to call centres where they were charged for unnecessary services.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the news, what was the approximate amount of losses reported from tech support scams in the state of Rhode Island alone?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is a key legal implication highlighted by the conviction of the US executives (Adam Young and Harrison Gevirtz) in this case?

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