BPO workers posed as collection agents to fleece insurance clients

His uncommon sense and vigilance insured a Kalva resident against being swindled out of Rs 30,000. Ameya Sharad Kulkarni also helped Nerul police bust a gang of six men, involved in stealing personal data of an insurance company's clients and then cheating them. Two former employees of this particular insurance firm, regarded as the brains of the crew, are absconding, while four of their associates have been picked up in relevance to the case.

The racket was busted after the arrested accused - who were later identified as Sunder Singh, Vikram Singh, Mukesh Singh and Bipin Suresh Puri - visited Ameya at his Juinagar office in Navi Mumbai posing as collection agents working for the insurance company. The accused informed Ameya that his premium of around Rs 30,000 was due and he should immediately make the required payment failing which his policy would lapse.

Policy of dishonesty
Ameya was sceptical, as an insurance company is unlikely to send four collection agents to collect a premium. When he tried to verify their credentials the accused gave dubious replies and this made his suspicion stronger. Ameya finally informed Nerul police station and the accused were arrested.

During interrogation, they revealed that they were call centre employees, and also gave away names of the masterminds - Ashish Tiwari and Chandan - who were formerly employed with the insurance firm.

According to police, the arrested crooks divulged that despite leaving their jobs, Chandan and Ashish still had access to all the personal data of clients of the firm. After going through these records, they used to retrieve information on policyholders with pending premiums and forward the same to the call centre employees.

The latter then posed as collection agents of the insurance firm and swindled the victims.

"We have arrested the accused under sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and also information technology Act," said Rajkumar Chafekar, senior inspector, Nerul police station.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the group has cheated more than 25 insurance clients to the tune of Rs 3 lakh.u00a0