A fraudulent call centre was busted in an office on Park Street.

Personnel there were allegedly making calls to cheat people by making them download loan apps. Seven people have been arrested.

Police said they had received information about the illegal call centre from which fraudulent calls were being made.“The fraudsters had used social media to advertise loans offering quick money on easy terms and conditions. However, once someone downloaded the apps, they would levy high rates of interest on the loans,” said an officer of Park Street Police Station.

Based on specific information, a team of Kolkata Police officers raided the office in a building on Park Street, near the Mullickbazar crossing.

Sources said 70 mobile phones were seized from the fraudulent centre. “We are in the process of compiling the total number of people who were cheated through this operation. The fraud amount runs into several lakhs of rupees,” an officer said.

Police sources said several precautions should be taken while downloading any mobile application.

“Most of these mobile apps seek permission to access your phone data, including your gallery and contact list, when you download them. If you deny permission, the apps do not function properly; if you grant permission, you risk exposing your personal data,” said a joint commissioner of police.

An officer added that, despite being aware of these risks, many people continue to download such apps to obtain loans on easy terms.