Ahmedabad: Gujarat police have busted an illegal call center which has been running “illegally” for the past two-and-a-half month.

The police action came after an individual, Priteshbhai Shankarbha Joshi, reportedly procured data of US citizens having small loans from $500 to $1000 from a US-based agent identified as Vikas Upadhyay.

The police raided the call center on November 18 night and arrested ten persons, including the mastermind, for allegedly duping the American loan holders. Most arrested are seven boys and one girl from Nagaland and Mizoram. Their connection and benefitting factor to the scam is yet to be ascertained, reports the case inspector.

According to the First Information Report registered by Chandkheda police, Joshi, a local resident ran the call center at the third floor of D Square Mall, Visat, on Gandhinagar Highway.

Based on specific input, a police team raided the office, reports reports thenortheasttoday.com.

Police also seized seven computer sets, a laptop and nine mobile phones. Police said that Joshi had rented the place and hired people for running the center.

“They were running this racket for over two months. They used Internet calling to contact the US loan holders and duped them. Joshi has told us that he earned $7,000 in two months which he received through hawala. We are probing it further,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Usha Rada, Zone-2, who is supervising the case.