Close X
Sunday, November 24, 2024
ADVT 
International

Indian-American charged in $13 mn tech scam targeting over 7000 victims

Darpan News Desk IANS, 01 Sep, 2023 01:12 PM
  • Indian-American charged in $13 mn tech scam targeting over 7000 victims

New York, Sep 1 (IANS) A 40-year-old Indian-American has been arrested in connection with a technical support scam that targeted more than 7,000 victims in the US.

Manoj Yadav of Clifton in New Jersey, defrauded victims -- consisting mainly of small business owners and the elderly -- of more than $13 million, US Attorney Philip R Sellinger announced on Thursday.

He was charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and appeared before US Magistrate Judge Jose R. Almonte in Newark federal court on Thursday.

"The defendant and his conspirators are alleged to have misled their numerous victims into thinking that they were a legitimate technology support company affiliated with a major software company," Sellinger said.

"After claiming to provide technical support for issues involving the software company’s popular accounting software, they allegedly charged the victims exorbitant fees for purported support services that were not authorized by the software company," he added.

According to court documents, from 2017 through 2023, Yadav and his conspirators, many of whom were in India, fraudulently held themselves out as a technology support company affiliated with a major US business and accounting software company that developed and sold a widely used accounting software product.

They operated under multiple fraudulent business names, including "Phebs Software Services, LLC", "Phebs Software Services", "PN Bookkeeping Services", "Phebbs Consulting", "Quickbooks Tech Assist", "Quickbook US", "Quickbooks Accounting", and "Quickbooks Support Team".

The conspirators would contact victims under the guise of fixing victims' technical issues with the accounting software. After receiving tech support from the conspirators under these fraudulent pretences, the victims would either be charged exorbitant fees or additional subscription fees. These "services" were all fraudulent: They would not cost any additional money for customers who contacted the actual software company, and the software company never authorised Yadav or his conspirators to act on its behalf or charge any fees.

Yadav personally participated in the scheme by charging the victims for the fraudulent technology support services and funnelling millions of dollars from these victims to his conspirators.

He fraudulently obtained these funds through the Phebs Software Services, LLC, which Yadav himself formed. That entity did business as both "Phebs Software Services" and "Quickbooks Accounting".

Yadav also used these entity names to falsely hold himself out to banks and victim customers as an accounting company legitimately affiliated with the software company. He did this to prevent chargebacks, Better Business Bureau complaints, and the closure of bank accounts.

Yadav sent his conspirators over $13 million in funds obtained from victims and would routinely keep approximately 17 per cent when he wired funds to the conspirators.

"We allege Yadav lied to software users and forced them to pay for services that would usually come free with their initial purchase," FBI Special Agent in Charge James E Dennehy said. "The amount he's accused of stealing from his victims and the number of victims seem shocking."

The count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross profit or loss caused by the offence, whichever is greatest.

MORE International ARTICLES

Man jailed for attacking elderly Sikh in Manchester

Man jailed for attacking elderly Sikh in Manchester
Claudio Campos, 28, attacked Avtar Singh in broad daylight as he was walking home from work through the Tib Street area of the City Centre on June 23. Campos, who was with his partner at the time, proceeded to walk up behind Avtar before violently punching him to the head. Singh fell into the middle of the road where he stayed unconscious until a passer-by called for an ambulance.

Man jailed for attacking elderly Sikh in Manchester

British Sikh MP seeks 'urgent action' on rising hate crimes

British Sikh MP seeks 'urgent action' on rising hate crimes
Quoting hate crime statistics 2021-22, Gill, an MP from Birmingham, said hate crimes against Sikhs rose by 169 per cent in comparison to a 38 per cent increase in reported religious hate crimes overall. The 2001 census recorded 336,000 Sikhs living in Britain. Gill said 301 hate crimes against Sikhs were reported in 2021-22, up from 112 in 2020-2021. 

British Sikh MP seeks 'urgent action' on rising hate crimes

Indian-origin Sikh on trial for $10.4mn crypto bungle in Melbourne

Indian-origin Sikh on trial for $10.4mn crypto bungle in Melbourne
Jatinder Singh, 37, and his partner, Thevamanogari Manivel, 40, appeared by video link from prison in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, where they were committed to stand trial over theft and other charges, the Canberra Times reported. Crypto.com intended to refund Manivel $100 but she was erroneously transferred $10,474,143. 

Indian-origin Sikh on trial for $10.4mn crypto bungle in Melbourne

Indian restaurant vandalised with racist graffiti in US

Indian restaurant vandalised with racist graffiti in US
The walls of India K' Raja restaurant, owned and operated by Tony Sappal, were spray-painted with derogatory words and phrases targeting Asian Americans. "For 27 years, this has been home. Nobody has ever displayed that kind of anger or hate to us," Sappal told the Richmond Times Dispatch.

Indian restaurant vandalised with racist graffiti in US

Sikh man honoured with top Australian award for his brave act

Sikh man honoured with top Australian award for his brave act
Seehra has been awarded 'Commendation for Brave Conduct' for his swift action towards an agitated patient who threatened to blow up the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in Queensland. The patient had a red-wired explosive-looking device wrapped around his body, Seehra told SBS Punjabi.

Sikh man honoured with top Australian award for his brave act

Indian-American student, Varun Manish Chheda, killed in US, roommate arrested

Indian-American student, Varun Manish Chheda, killed in US, roommate arrested
Ji Min Sha, a 22-year-old junior cybersecurity major from Seoul, South Korea, has been held as the prime suspect in the case, Purdue Police Chief Lesley Wiete said. Wiete called the crime "unprovoked and senseless".  Chheda was just 10 days away from his 21st birthday, the Indianapolis Star reported.

Indian-American student, Varun Manish Chheda, killed in US, roommate arrested