The FBI in Boston announced the shutdown of a call center operation in India after dismantling a major racket that also involved perpetrators from the United States. The call center defrauded hundreds of elderly victims in the US and other countries out of millions of dollars through tech support scams. The investigation revealed that two senior executives from the US were complicit by turning a blind eye to the widespread fraud.
Who Are Adam Young and Harrison Gevirtz?
Adam Young, 42, from Florida, and Harrison Gevirtz, 33, from Las Vegas, operated a business called Ringba. Ringba provided telecommunications-related services, including telephone numbers, call routing, call tracking, and call forwarding, to customers they knew were engaged in tech-support fraud schemes. Both have pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony, a violation of federal law. They are scheduled to be sentenced on June 16, 2026.
The Scam Operation
According to court documents, from approximately 2016 through 2022, Young and Gevirtz knew that some of their customers were involved in tech-support fraud. The schemes used deceptive pop-up messages to convince computer users that their devices were infected with viruses or malware. Victims were directed to call a phone number displayed in the pop-up, which connected them to call centers. There, they were persuaded to pay hundreds of dollars for unnecessary or fictitious technical-support services. In some cases, call center agents remotely accessed victims' computers to obtain personal and financial information.
Indian Call Centers Involved
The investigation revealed that call centers based in India used Young and Gevirtz's business to route their fraudulent calls. In some instances, they advised the fraudsters on methods to reduce complaints and prevent account terminations. The Indian citizens involved in the scam include Sahil Narang, Chirag Sachdeva, Abrar Anjum, Manish Kumar, and Jagmeet Singh Virk. They were convicted on charges related to telemarketing fraud schemes targeting Americans and defrauding them of millions of dollars, many of whom were vulnerable due to age or infirmity.
Failure to Report and Active Participation
From 2017 through April 2022, after learning about their customers' fraud schemes, Young and Gevirtz failed to report them to law enforcement. They received numerous complaints and inquiries from telephone providers and law enforcement regarding customers engaged in tech-support fraud. Despite this knowledge, they advised some customers on techniques to avoid complaints and prevent account termination. They also assisted customers in buying and selling fraudulent calls among themselves. Additionally, Young and Gevirtz owned and operated a call center in Tunisia from 2016 through April 2022, where some employees engaged in tech-support fraud.
Statements from Authorities
Ted EDocks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Boston Division, stated: "What the CEO and CSO of this well-known call tracking and analytics company did was downright despicable. By their own admission, they willfully profited from telemarketing and tech support scammers, here and abroad, who preyed on the elderly, exploited the vulnerable, and drained victims of their life savings and peace of mind. Behind every fraudulent call was a real person left frightened, humiliated, or financially shattered."
EDocks added: "Tech support scams cost Americans $2.1 billion last year, and Rhode Islanders reported losing at least $5.7 million. Let this be a warning: if you fuel and support these criminal networks that prey on unsuspecting consumers, the FBI will pursue you relentlessly to ensure you're held accountable for the harm you helped inflict."
Court documents further indicate that the two former CEOs directed employees to promote their company's services to customers engaged in tech-support fraud and, at times, introduced customers involved in fraudulent activity to others who could support their illicit business.
