FBI busts 3 India-based call centers posing as Social Security staff, tied to $50M ripped from Americans. How it worked

Aditi Ganguly

Thu, September 3, 2026 at 3:55 PM GMT+3 10 min read

NBC4 Washington/ YouTube

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A joint 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 they had traced scams reported by residents in Montgomery County, Maryland, to "extensive international scam call center operations in India that had been targeting Americans since 2022," according to a FBI Baltimore news release (1).

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In the release, the FBI says that since 2022, about 660 people in the U.S. reported falling victim to government impersonation and tech support scams connected to these call centers. Losses totaled a staggering $48,778,230. In Maryland alone, nearly two dozen victims reported losing a total of $6,257,869 — meaning an average of $260,744 per person.

And 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.

How victims were convinced to hand over their savings

It started with an email to individuals like Lisa and Sahadev.

NBC4 Washington says that scammers sent each of them an email that appeared to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA). It claimed that their Social Security numbers were suspended after being used for criminal activities (2).

While the details of what scammers did next were not reported, Sahadev said that people claiming to be from the SSA sent him proof in the form of a badge.

Lisa added that the scammers had made her feel very scared, so she did everything they told her to do. "I sent my life saving money to those people, scammers," she said.

And it wasn't just the voice behind the phone who was in on the scam. There were boots on the ground in Maryland, too.

NBC4 also reported Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy saying that his office secured 10 indictments against individuals, "many of them couriers or mules who were used to pick up gold bars from victims who thought they were working with the feds to protect their investments."

Inside the Social Security impersonation scheme

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Social Security Administration have repeatedly warned Americans about these types of scams, where fraudsters impersonate government agencies.

The SSA says that these scams can begin with a phone call, letter, email, text or message on social media (3). They might use the name of a real employee and have credentials that appear real — like the fake badge Sahadev mentioned.

The FTC says that a Social Security scam that starts with an unexpected call can immediately lure you in because your caller ID may say that it's the SSA calling (4). From here, everything that the scammer says is designed to get you panicking, so you'll do anything they ask.

The scammer might start by saying that your Social Security number and name have been connected to crimes like drug trafficking or money laundering. Then, they might tell you there is a warrant for your arrest or that your savings and accounts are in danger of being frozen then confiscated by the courts.

Once they've succeeded in scaring you, the scammer will tell you the only way to keep your money safe is to take it out of your accounts, perhaps by buying gold or cryptocurrency, and transfer it to them for safekeeping.

This is how scammers persuade victims to hand over their life savings. They may convince you that you can't tell anyone what is happening; they may even offer to stay on the phone with you while you go to your bank and take out your money.

"Anyone who tells you to buy gold, or withdraw cash, and give it to someone is a scammer," the FTC says.

Protect yourself and your loved ones

Scams are a problem for older Americans in particular.

In 2024, older adults were more than twice as likely to report losses of more than $10,000 from business and government imposter scams, and more than three times as likely to report losses over $100,000, according to the FTC (5).

In 2024, for Americans over the age of 60 who reported losses between $10,000 and $100,000, the combined total losses were $214 million, and for those who reported losses of over $100,000, the combined total losses were a staggering $445 million (5).

Older adults are frequently targeted in these schemes, in part because scammers believe they may have accumulated more savings and may be less familiar with evolving digital tactics. New technologies like AI have only added to the sophistication of these scams.

In addition to the financial impacts, which can be devastating in some cases, there are also emotional aftershocks. Kathy Stokes, director of fraud prevention programs at AARP, notes that older adults who have been scammed face "emotional and health harms, fraught family dynamics and, in many cases, the reality that despite having saved for a secure retirement, they are left to survive on local, state and federal safety nets (6)."

For this reason, talking with friends, family and loved ones about how fraudsters operate is one of the best ways to help prevent them from losing money to scams.

Get extra support from trusted organizations

If you're concerned about yourself or your loved ones succumbing to scams, senior-focused organizations like AARP can help individuals learn how to proactively spot scams and get guidance from experts.

Through its Fraud Watch Network, AARP provides alerts, expert-backed guidance and practical tools designed to help you recognize red flags before they turn into costly mistakes

And in case you've already fallen victim to a scam or fraud, AARP also connects you with trained specialists who can walk you through your next steps and offer support when you need it most — including access to online sessions for emotional reassurance during a stressful time.

AARP also advocates at the federal, state and local levels to protect consumers — offering you peace of mind, knowing you're not alone.

Plus, if you sign up for their membership, you can get access to guides that can help you plan your retirement better. Members can get discounts on almost everything — from prescriptions and dental plans to travel, entertainment and insurance.

The best part? You can get 25% off your first year when you sign up with AARP.

Stay vigilant

While law enforcement has shut down one major operation, similar scams continue to evolve. One of the most effective defenses is knowing not only how scammers operate but also how the SSA doesn't operate.

The SSA says they will never do the following:

threaten you, or say you will be arrested, if you don't pay money right away
suspend your Social Security number
say you need to pay, or give personal information, to activate a benefit increase or adjustment
pressure you to do something or give information
tell you to pay with gold, gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency or cash sent through the mail
message you on social media
seize a bank account
demand you don't tell anyone what is happening
move your money to a "safe" or "protected" account

Meanwhile, if you have already been scammed, be sure to report it to local law enforcement, the FTC and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

When it comes to trying to get your money or valuables back, how you go about it depends on how you transferred them to the scammer (7).

If you paid a scammer with a debit card, credit card, payment app or wire transfer, contact the financial institution immediately and ask them to reverse the transaction.

While cryptocurrency transactions are typically not reversible, if you did pay with crypto, contact the company you use to send the money and report that the transaction was fraudulent and ask them to reverse it.

Finally, if you mailed cash or valuables, contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service immediately to see if the shipment can be intercepted.

Take precautionary measures

In addition to becoming more common, financial scams are also becoming more convincing. With criminals using everything from spoofed phone numbers to realistic-looking websites and AI deep fakes, it's easier than ever to be misled if you're not paying close attention.

Protecting yourself starts with a few smart habits: Verify who you're dealing with before sharing information, steer clear of suspicious messages and keep your devices and software up to date.

Adding account alerts and monitoring your credit can also give you an early warning if something isn't right.

Protect your peace of mind

If you want some added peace of mind, platforms like Aura offer a way to manage device and identity protection in one place.

This AI-powered service is designed to help shield your household from scams, identity theft and other online threats — and it works across multiple connected devices. It can even alert you to potential fraud up to 250 times faster than traditional monitoring tools.

Aura also keeps an eye on your spending patterns, flagging any unusual transactions. You can even receive up to $1 million to cover eligible losses and fees in cases of identity theft.

Getting started is quick and easy, and you can sign up for a 14-day free trial. Aura also offers a 60-day money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied.

When it doubt work with an expert

A final layer of defense is to always work with a financial professional. That way, if a fraudster tries to get you to liquidate your accounts, there's someone you can reach out to immediately. Having a good advisor in your corner can not only make sure you stay safe, but keep your nest egg healthy as well.

If you don't have a financial pro at your back, Advisor.com can help. The platform connects you with a fiduciary who is legally required to act in your best interests..

Advisor.com does the heavy lifting for you, vetting advisors based on track record, client ratios and regulatory background. All you have to do is put in a bit of info about yourself, like your ZIP code, and any of your financial goals. Then their match-making tool will connect you with a qualified expert suited to your needs based on your unique financial goals and preferences.

Finding the right advisor isn't always easy — there's no one-size-fits-all solution. That's why you can set up a free initial consultation, with no obligation to hire, to see make sure they're the right choice for securing your retirement.

— With files from Rebecca Payne