Jim Browning

So I have previously gone to the police in India to say, here's a scam call centre on your doorstep. Here's where they're located. I was able to get that sort of information, but nothing really ever came of it. And I thought, perhaps I'm going about this wrong. Perhaps what I really need is more mainstream media involved. So I got in touch with, really a general purpose BBC email address.

So I have previously gone to the police in India to say, here's a scam call centre on your doorstep. Here's where they're located. I was able to get that sort of information, but nothing really ever came of it. And I thought, perhaps I'm going about this wrong. Perhaps what I really need is more mainstream media involved. So I got in touch with, really a general purpose BBC email address.

And before too long, I was reached out by a team called Panorama. Panorama are like a very long running documentary program where they cover all sorts of current affairs issues. But this particular team were interested anyway in scam phone calls. And as soon as I get in touch and said, look, this is what I have. Of course, that team were very, they wanted to work with me from that point.

And before too long, I was reached out by a team called Panorama. Panorama are like a very long running documentary program where they cover all sorts of current affairs issues. But this particular team were interested anyway in scam phone calls. And as soon as I get in touch and said, look, this is what I have. Of course, that team were very, they wanted to work with me from that point.

The police did their raid. They picked up whatever computers they could. They went to the boss's home address. And he lived in like the most luxurious accommodation you could imagine, something like $6,000 a month to rent this place, which is completely unheard of if you're in Delhi where he was.

The police did their raid. They picked up whatever computers they could. They went to the boss's home address. And he lived in like the most luxurious accommodation you could imagine, something like $6,000 a month to rent this place, which is completely unheard of if you're in Delhi where he was.

What I had expected was that this would be such an easy case for them, there would be no problem, and ultimately the guy who ran the thing would be locked up. But that was very far from the truth. And what actually happened was, number one, it took about a year for the trial to even come up. Then COVID kicked in, so it was delayed by another year. But eventually, whenever the case did go to trial,

What I had expected was that this would be such an easy case for them, there would be no problem, and ultimately the guy who ran the thing would be locked up. But that was very far from the truth. And what actually happened was, number one, it took about a year for the trial to even come up. Then COVID kicked in, so it was delayed by another year. But eventually, whenever the case did go to trial,

the police never actually followed up on any of the evidence that was given to them or that they had collected. So they had scripts about scams from the boss's computer, but they didn't, for example, follow the money trail from the victims to the boss.

the police never actually followed up on any of the evidence that was given to them or that they had collected. So they had scripts about scams from the boss's computer, but they didn't, for example, follow the money trail from the victims to the boss.

So they could very easily, if they had any kind of incentive to do so, they could have easily gone to PayPal and say, we need evidence about what happened with this particular PayPal account. They never asked for that. They never followed up on any of the thing. In fact, what they actually relied on was the one laptop that they managed to pick up.

So they could very easily, if they had any kind of incentive to do so, they could have easily gone to PayPal and say, we need evidence about what happened with this particular PayPal account. They never asked for that. They never followed up on any of the thing. In fact, what they actually relied on was the one laptop that they managed to pick up.

And obviously, because the documentary had gone out, the YouTube video had gone out, all of the computers were immediately wiped before the police actually arrived. So they only really had one laptop to go on, and that wasn't enough for them. And any of the independent evidence of scams, the 70,000 phone calls, the video footage of the scams actually happening was never presented.

And obviously, because the documentary had gone out, the YouTube video had gone out, all of the computers were immediately wiped before the police actually arrived. So they only really had one laptop to go on, and that wasn't enough for them. And any of the independent evidence of scams, the 70,000 phone calls, the video footage of the scams actually happening was never presented.

In fact, what they said was, well, that YouTube footage could have been done by AI or that YouTube footage could have been faked. And it looked like the judge just accepted that. So there was no pressure whatsoever to present anything which linked the boss to any of that scam victim money.

In fact, what they said was, well, that YouTube footage could have been done by AI or that YouTube footage could have been faked. And it looked like the judge just accepted that. So there was no pressure whatsoever to present anything which linked the boss to any of that scam victim money.

And that is just a travesty because I couldn't have handed it on a plate any more clearly to the police, or indeed the BBC could have handed the same evidence to the police. But the police never came to speak to me, never came to speak to the BBC. or follow up with any of the evidence that I presented in the video whatsoever. They just didn't bother.

And that is just a travesty because I couldn't have handed it on a plate any more clearly to the police, or indeed the BBC could have handed the same evidence to the police. But the police never came to speak to me, never came to speak to the BBC. or follow up with any of the evidence that I presented in the video whatsoever. They just didn't bother.

And I can only imagine that's for one of two reasons. One is they're desperately incompetent, which I think is the more likely reason. they've been paid off because the guy who was in charge of this is the equivalent of a multimillionaire as a result of those scams. And unfortunately, in India, corruption is rife. So I don't know for sure, but I would imagine that's what happened.

And I can only imagine that's for one of two reasons. One is they're desperately incompetent, which I think is the more likely reason. they've been paid off because the guy who was in charge of this is the equivalent of a multimillionaire as a result of those scams. And unfortunately, in India, corruption is rife. So I don't know for sure, but I would imagine that's what happened.