Houston court handcuffs one call center kingpin. How to keep others away from your money.

The mastermind behind a scam run out of multiple Indian call centers pleaded guilty in Houston this week to the operation that bilked thousands of victims out of millions of dollars over several years. The callers impersonated IRS tax collectors and other government officials. less The mastermind behind a scam run out of multiple Indian call centers pleaded guilty in Houston this week to the operation that bilked thousands of victims out of millions of dollars over several years. The ... more Photo: IndiaPictures, Contributor / UIG Via Getty Images Photo: IndiaPictures, Contributor / UIG Via Getty Images Image 1 of / 17 Caption Close Houston court handcuffs one call center kingpin. How to keep others away from your money. 1 / 17 Back to Gallery

The fraudulent overseas call center boss who tricked thousands of people out of millions of dollars pleaded guilty in a Houston federal court earlier this month.

Hitesh Madhubhai Patel, 43, of Ahmedabad, India, admitted to operating a call center for years that used fraudulent tactics to swindle up to $65 million from thousands of unsuspecting victims. The call center operators would often impersonate U.S. government officials attempting to collect a debt, sometimes specifically targeting South Asian immigrants and elderly people.

Patel was one of 25 people who have been convicted so far in the scheme.

FOR SUBSCRIBERS: International kingpin to be sentenced April 3

“They used a variety of schemes to trick frightened individuals over the phone by tapping into their worst fears – that they would be deported, and they would face other problems with the U.S. government or state or local law enforcement,” former Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell said in 2016.

All of the defendants were ordered to pay millions of dollars in restitution, although Patel’s sentencing is scheduled for April 3. He’s facing up to 20 years in prison.

Chron.com compiled some tips from the Federal Trade Commission on how to spot and avoid scammers online and over the phone. See the tips in the gallery above.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com