US Highlights Cooperation With India in Crackdown on Tech Support and Government Impersonation Scams

WASHINGTON–The U.S. Justice Department has highlighted its cooperation with Indian law enforcement agencies in dismantling technology-support and government-impersonation scams, underscoring the importance of international partnerships in combating cyber fraud networks that target American victims.

Richard Goldberg, director of the Justice Department’s Cyber-Enabled Scam Initiative, discussed the collaboration during a briefing at the Washington Foreign Press Center on Wednesday, outlining efforts by U.S. authorities to work with foreign governments in investigating and disrupting international fraud operations.

“We’ve worked with Indian law enforcement to shut down tech support and government imposter fraud schemes throughout India,” Goldberg said.

The remarks highlighted India’s role in broader international efforts to combat cybercrime, although Goldberg did not identify the Indian agencies involved or provide details about specific investigations, arrests or financial recoveries.

He also did not announce any new enforcement operations in India, indicating that his comments referred to cooperation that had already taken place.

Goldberg said American investigators and prosecutors have worked with authorities in several countries to combat sophisticated criminal organizations that exploit international borders and digital communications to defraud victims.

Beyond India, he cited prosecutions involving cryptocurrency investment fraud in Southeast Asia, romance scams and business-email fraud in West Africa, lottery scams originating in Jamaica and timeshare fraud connected to Mexican drug cartels.

According to Goldberg, the international nature of cybercrime presents significant challenges for investigators because criminal networks frequently operate across multiple jurisdictions.

Fraudsters may establish operations in one country, use telecommunications and internet infrastructure in another and transfer stolen funds through financial institutions or cryptocurrency networks spread across several additional countries.

Such operations make cooperation among law enforcement agencies essential for collecting evidence, identifying suspects, disrupting criminal networks and recovering stolen assets.

Goldberg said the Justice Department has been working with international partners not only on individual criminal investigations but also through training programs and other initiatives designed to strengthen foreign law enforcement capabilities.

Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, also addressed the importance of international cooperation, noting that she had traveled to India as part of her engagement with foreign law enforcement officials.

Pirro did not specify when the visit occurred or announce any new agreement between Washington and New Delhi.

She emphasized that countries where scam operations are based often face similar criminal activity targeting their own citizens, creating a shared interest in strengthening enforcement efforts.

The officials also drew attention to the human consequences of international cyber fraud, noting that some criminal operations rely on trafficking victims who are forced to participate in scams.

These operations can exploit vulnerable individuals while simultaneously targeting unsuspecting victims around the world, adding another dimension to international investigations.

Heith Janke, assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Division, said the bureau’s network of overseas law enforcement attaches plays an important role in developing relationships with foreign authorities and facilitating intelligence sharing.

Those partnerships are especially critical when victims are located in the United States but the individuals responsible for the crimes are operating from other countries.

Janke also identified government impersonation as a frequently used tactic among international fraud networks.

He said investigators have encountered operations designed to convince victims that scammers are legitimate law enforcement officials representing government agencies in different countries.

Such schemes often rely on deception and intimidation to persuade victims to transfer money or disclose sensitive personal and financial information.

The Justice Department officials said criminal prosecutions alone would not be sufficient to address the growing threat posed by international cyber fraud.

Goldberg emphasized the importance of educating the public about common scams and encouraging people to recognize warning signs before becoming victims.

He also urged journalists to help raise awareness of fraudulent schemes and encourage governments to take stronger action against criminal networks operating within their jurisdictions.

“We cannot prosecute our way out of this problem,” Goldberg said.

The Justice Department’s Criminal Division launched the Cyber-Enabled Scam Initiative during the summer of 2026, bringing together prosecutors and specialists working in fraud, cybercrime, money laundering, international evidence collection, extradition and asset forfeiture.

The initiative is designed to coordinate expertise across different areas of federal law enforcement to pursue criminal organizations operating beyond U.S. borders.

Separately, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia established its Scam Center Strike Force in November 2025, according to Pirro.

That effort has focused on investigating cryptocurrency fraud networks, disrupting websites associated with criminal schemes and pursuing the extradition of suspects located overseas.

Although the officials highlighted cooperation with India, the briefing did not provide the names of specific Indian investigations, the number of operations conducted jointly or estimates of financial losses prevented through bilateral enforcement efforts.

The remarks nevertheless underscored the Justice Department’s continued reliance on international law enforcement partnerships as criminal networks increasingly use digital technology and cross-border financial transactions to target victims in the United States and elsewhere. (Source: IANS)