
NBC 4 Washington
Here’s how they worked
Here’s how they worked
Mar 2, 2026
A collaborative effort by the FBI, local police and Indian authorities has shut down a huge scam call center operation in India that saw Americans lose nearly $50 million.
The FBI Baltimore Field Office, Montgomery County Police Department and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office announced that a coordinated investigation traced scams reported by Montgomery County, Maryland, residents to “extensive international scam call center operations in India that had been targeting Americans since 2022,” according to a news release (1).
The FBI says that about 660 people in the U.S. reported falling victim to government impersonation and tech support scams since 2022 that were connected to the call centers, with losses totaling a staggering $48,778,230. In Maryland alone, nearly two dozen victims reported losing a total of $6,257,869.
Behind those staggering figures are real people who believed they were protecting their savings — until it was too late. Their stories reveal what you can do to protect yourself.
A collaborative effort by the FBI, local police and Indian authorities has shut down a huge scam call center operation in India that saw Americans lose nearly $50 million.
The FBI Baltimore Field Office, Montgomery County Police Department and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office announced that a coordinated investigation traced scams reported by Montgomery County, Maryland, residents to “extensive international scam call center operations in India that had been targeting Americans since 2022,” according to a news release (1).
The FBI says that about 660 people in the U.S. reported falling victim to government impersonation and tech support scams since 2022 that were connected to the call centers, with losses totaling a staggering $48,778,230. In Maryland alone, nearly two dozen victims reported losing a total of $6,257,869.
Behind those staggering figures are real people who believed they were protecting their savings — until it was too late. Their stories reveal what you can do to protect yourself.