How Much Do Indian Scammers Make? More Than You Think!

Sit at home, relax, sip your tea, and, suddenly, the phone rings. The other end has a politely mannered voice, sometimes extremely friendly to the point of being fake, telling you that your computer has a lot of viruses, or perhaps even worse, that your bank account has been compromised. They gladly offer to help, if you just can disclose your personal details or pay a little fee. Congratulations, you have just encountered an Indian scammer!

Now, these scammers aren’t just a few guys in a basement-they’re organized, savvy, and rake in some serious cash. In 2022 alone, scammers from India managed to trick Americans out of a mind-boggling $10 billion! That’s a whole lot of zeros.

How Do They Do It?
The most rampant fraud that these fraudsters commit includes fake technical support calls and emails for phishing, even romance scams. Here’s a typical scam:

Tech support fraud: That would be the one where they inform you that your computer has contracted some sort of virus and then “generously” offer their services to clean it-for a fee. Sometimes, they even convince people to install some kind of remote access software, which would grant them control over the machine in order to steal sensitive data or ask for more money to fix the problem they created.
IRS or Government Imposter Scam: “Hello, this is the IRS. You owe us money, and if you don’t pay, you’re going to jail.” They even fake a police officer or an official voice to really freak you out. But instead of getting arrested, you just get scammed.
Romance Scam: This one is a bit more emotional. Scammers pose as love interests online and strike up relationships that can go on for months. Then comes the kicker: they either beg for money so they can “visit” or to solve a sudden “emergency.” Cue heartbreak and drained bank accounts.

Example Cases: How They Target Victims
Target: Senior Citizens
These scammers just love targeting older folks. Why? Seniors generally know less about technology, trust people, and have savings. A perfect storm! They get calls claiming their bank accounts had been hacked, or they got sweet-talked through romance scams, losing thousands or even their entire life savings.

Target: People in Debt
Scammers posing as debt collectors use scare tactics. They tell victims their debt has skyrocketed or that they’ll face legal action unless they pay up immediately. But the only ones getting paid are the scammers.
How Successful Are They?
Unfortunately, very successful. The FBI reports these scammers have grown more aggressive, with U.S. citizens alone reporting a 47% rise in scam-related losses between 2021 and 2022​(Outlook Business)

Actually, scammers have now become pros: they know how to play with people’s fears and emotional responses, besides being able to outsmart most of those who are quite familiar with technology.

One of the many reasons they are so successful is because these operations are organized. Some run scams out of entire call centers. Victims are targeted in mass, and even at times thousands of people may be contacted in one day. Many of the scammers work in shifts much like working a regular office job, except instead of selling products they are selling lies!

Why Does It Keep Happening?
Pretty simple: it pays. In certain areas of India, where legitimate jobs might be scarce, a scamming operation could bring in even more money. And now, with the ascension of digital payment methods, like cryptocurrency and gift cards, it’s even easier for scammers to get paid and to remain invisible.

The Indian authorities are, with the assistance of the FBI, cracking down on these scams, but it is a cat-and-mouse game. Every time a scam center closes, another center opens in some other location.

Final Thoughts: Stay Alert!
So, how much money do Indian scammers make? Plenty. They have turned scamming into an art and, alas, a business that is worth billions. Their success is not an accident but rather a result of playing on human fear, trust, and loneliness.

What then is the best way to outsmart such scammers? Well, be informed, be skeptical, and never in your life give out personal information over the phone or internet unless you are absolutely sure who you are dealing with. In the matter of these scammers, they are pros at making money-your money!