NEW DELHI, Apr 10 : A screening of documentary “Bogus Phone Operators” that highlights successful US-India law enforcement cooperation in combating cyber crime was held here on Wednesday, with American envoy Eric Garcetti saying that by “disrupting scammers” and potential victims, “we’re making a real impact together”.
Addressing a gathering prior to the screening at the American Center here, the US ambassador to India described the relationship between the two countries as a “multiplicative” one, adding, “It’s not India plus the United States, it’s India times the United States when we get together.”
The documentary, screened by the US Embassy, narrates the tale of fraud call centres which dupe unsuspecting and vulnerable people, especially the elderly, of their hard-earned incomes and the mental trauma the victim families go thereafter.
“The audience witnessed how US and Indian authorities teamed up to unravel a multi-million-dollar scam by impersonators preying on elderly US citizens,” the US Embassy said in a statement after the event.
Portrayed through the lens of the investigative officer who led the raid, the documentary sheds light on the “scale and severity of the alleged scam, its impact on US victims, and the subsequent investigation involving cyber experts, lawyers, and a joint operation between Indian police and the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation),” it said.
“I’m proud our Legal Attaché office is highlighting the successful partnership between US and Indian law enforcement in fighting cyber-crime. By disrupting scammers and potential victims, we’re making a real impact together,” Ambassador Garcetti was quoted as saying in the statement.
The US envoy also attended the screening of the film that is currently running on OTT platforms. Film’s producer Yule Kurup and its director Satyaprakash Upadhyay also attended the event.
Earlier, introducing the event, the US envoy said “the problem that we see highlighted here today, of call centres fraud, is not a small problem. Some estimate, most people think it’s an under-estimate, that this is as much as a six-billion-dollar industry, every single year.”
The perpetrators of this crime are “cunning, they are sophisticated, they are refining the script every single day, and every day sound more and more realistic that it is somebody that we know, or something that we should be concerned of, they have a way of pulling people in. But, these fraudulent interactions whether they are virtual, the crimes are very real,” he added.
Garcetti spoke of the impact of such cyber crimes on the elderly or the poor and others, and the need to work together to combat it.
“We see the impact on real human beings of the damage that can be done, when law enforcement can’t do its job or don’t know enough, which is why films like these are important. Because, we can only have so many law enforcement officials in India and the United States working on this. We have never had better cooperation. I want to thank the government of India for the close cooperation with the government of United States on making sure that justice is served,” he said in his address.
The US ambassador highlighted the bilateral relationship between the US and India with multiple areas of cooperation.
“Everything we learnt about the United States and India working together, in what I call, a multiplicative relationship. It’s not India plus the United States, it’s India times the United States when we get together. And, whether that is in moments of great opportunities like expanding economic opportunities, looking at health issues together, combating challenges like climate change and other things or it is in moments like you see here today, where we face common threats together,” Garcetti said.
“Whether it’s a military threat, whether it is a criminal threat, we know that United States and India, when we have a relationship that is strong, it is strong for our people and it sends a message to the world. That we are here to preserve peace and to look at ways to protect you and your families,” he added.
Producer Kurup said, “We as producers are dedicated to telling engaging and thought-provoking stories that resonate with audiences worldwide, that sparks conversation and inspires change. This documentary serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive threat posed by cyber-crime, and the importance of remaining vigilant in an increasingly connected world.”
“Through our exploration of the Thane Call Centre Scam, we hope to raise awareness and empower the viewers to protect themselves from similar fraudulent schemes,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.
Upadhyay said “scammers who make fake phone calls are spreading fast, targeting people worldwide. They are not just random people trying to take money from the victims. They are part of a big, smart technically advanced group that knows how to get our personal information.”
“They even pretend to be police or government officials without being afraid of getting caught, because they are backed by a big network. It’s time to understand their tricks and work together to stop them,” the director was quoted as saying in the statement. (PTI)
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