US Shuts India-Based Call Centre that Defrauded Elderly Americans of Millions
US authorities have dismantled an India-based call centre network accused of running tech support scams that stole millions of dollars from elderly victims in the United States and overseas. Two American executives, Adam Young and Harrison Gevirtz, admitted providing telecom services that helped these operations, following a multi-year investigation involving FBI Boston and federal prosecutors.
Young, 42, from Miami, and Gevirtz, 33, from Las Vegas, pleaded guilty after a probe that began in 2020. Investigators said the pair supplied telephone numbers, call routing, call tracking, and call forwarding to clients they knew were engaged in tech-support fraud schemes, and continued doing so despite complaints from telecom companies and law enforcement.
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US authorities tech support scams probe links India-based call centres and US executives
The same investigation led to convictions of five India-based telemarketing fraudsters and a former employee of the call routing firm that worked with them. According to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Rhode Island, Indian nationals Sahil Narang, Chirag Sachdeva, Abrar Anjum and Manish Kumar were found guilty for roles in India-based telemarketing fraud schemes targeting mainly elderly or otherwise vulnerable Americans.
Authorities also secured the conviction of Jagmeet Singh Virk in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. Officials said India-based call centres used Young and Gevirtz's business to route "tech fraud" calls and, at times, received guidance on reducing complaint levels and avoiding termination of telecom accounts, allowing the fraud to continue longer.
US authorities tech support scams cases detail pop-ups, remote access and elderly victims
Court documents stated that between 2016 and 2022, Young, Gevirtz and others knew some customers operated tech-support scams that used fake pop-up warnings. These messages falsely claimed computers were infected with viruses or malware and displayed phone numbers that, when called, connected victims to India-based call centres claiming to offer urgent technical support.
Once on the phone, victims were persuaded to pay hundreds of dollars for unnecessary or completely fictitious services. In some situations, call centre agents remotely accessed computers, then harvested personal and financial information. Filings said that even after repeated alerts and inquiries from telecom providers and investigators, Young and Gevirtz did not report fraud, and instead advised certain clients on tactics to avoid detection.
US authorities tech support scams losses and FBI Boston response
Prosecutors alleged the two executives helped some customers buy and sell fraudulent call traffic among themselves, strengthening the fraud network. A statement from FBI Boston on social media said, "This comes after an FBI Boston investigation that has resulted in the arrests & convictions of a former employee of their call routing company, and five India-based telemarketing fraudsters," and stressed that older Americans must be protected from such schemes.
US authorities reported that tech support scams cost people in the United States USD 2.1 billion last year. Residents of Rhode Island alone told investigators they lost at least USD 5.7 million. The figures released by officials are shown below.
| Location | Type of loss | Reported amount (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| United States (nationwide) | Tech support scams, last year | 2.1 billion |
| Rhode Island | Tech support scams, last year | 5.7 million |
Describing the conduct of the executives, Ted E Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Boston Division, said, "What the CEO and CSO of this well-known call tracking and analytics company did was downright despicable." Docks added, "By their own admission, they willfully profited from telemarketing and tech support scammers, here and abroad, who preyed on the elderly, exploited the vulnerable, and drained victims of their life savings and peace of mind."
Investigators said the combined convictions of the India-based telemarketing fraudsters, the former routing company employee, and the two US executives show how multiple layers of the tech support scam network operated together. Authorities stressed that the case highlights coordinated action against cross-border fraud targeting elderly Americans and that further enforcement will continue using evidence gathered since 2016.
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