$65 million scam targeting elderly Americans used India-based call centres, fake rental addresses; YouTube sleuths helped expose ring

A multinational fraud scheme that allegedly cost elderly Americans about $65 million relied on India-based scam call centres, fake identities and short-term rental properties to collect cash from victims, according to the US Department of Justice (DOJ). In an update published on October 26, prosecutors said the final defendants among 25 people arrested in the case had pleaded guilty, marking a significant development in an investigation that was also aided by YouTube creators who confronted suspected scammers on camera and shared footage with law enforcement.The criminal network, which prosecutors said had operated since at least 2019 and was rooted in Southern California, targeted thousands of older Americans through elaborate refund and technical-support scams. The operation primarily involved Chinese nationals who allegedly worked with India-based call centres, according to court records. Three charged defendants remained fugitives as of the latest DOJ announcement.The investigation also highlighted how videos made by online scam hunters helped authorities identify people linked to the alleged conspiracy and understand how the network collected money from victims across the Unit...