This Is What Happens When You Give Your Credit Card Number To A Call Center Operator In India

A call centre employee has been arrested in eastern India for allegedly using the credit cards details of US customers to make online purchases.

Sulagna Ray, 23, was accused of obtaining the credit card information while selling US customers a television service as part of her job, the Times of India reported Saturday.

Ray, an aspiring fashion designer, allegedly spent 4,000 dollars (3,122 euros) using other people's credit cards to buy an air-conditioner, microwave, cosmetics, saris, jewellery and chocolate.

The theft was discovered when a California-based firm, Syssoft Corp, complained of fraudulent purchases made through its e-commerce website, the deputy police commissioner in Kolkata, Gyanwant Singh, told the daily.

Ray worked for Jaishree Infotech, an Indian company handling work for another US e-commerce website.

The police traced the woman through the Indian website from which she had purchased the products. It provided the goods' delivery address.

Ray appeared in court Friday.

In June, police in the technology hub of Bangalore arrested an employee of global banking giant HSBC for allegedly taking 230,000 pounds (333,000 euros, 418,500 dollars) from 16 bank accounts held by Britons.

In recent years, many foreign companies have switched call centre work to India to save costs but there has been growing concern about potential fraud.

Copyright © 2006 Agence France Presse.