India’s Call-Center Frauds: A Neocolonial Perspective on Organized Crime

Abstract

Technical support frauds and other crimes operating out of India’s call centers targeting victims in the Global North are a significant global problem. Drawing on neocolonial theory, and empirical analysis of literature and interview data, we examine how these frauds are organized and perpetrated. We reveal the profile of the primary victims and offenders, the motivations and the tactics used by the fraudsters, and the difficulties in combating such frauds. We show that exploitative outsourcing practices, and the allure of quick financial gain, foster a culture within the Indian call centers that encourages fraud. This paper has important policy implications for improving government responses to fraud, while arguing for addressing the socio-economic inequalities within globalized outsourced markets.