In Ukraine, 94 fraudulent call centres have been shut down as part of an operation during which more than 400 searches were carried out. The police acted in conjunction with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) under the procedural guidance of the public prosecutor’s office. Twenty-six suspects have already been served with notices of suspicion, and law enforcement agencies are identifying the victims, all those involved in the schemes and the extent of the losses.
Briefly about the main points
- A large-scale operation has led to the closure of 94 fraudulent call centres.
- Law enforcement agencies carried out more than 400 searches, with the police and the SBU taking part.
- Over 3,300 computers and more than 5,200 SIM cards were seized.
- The operators used banking, law enforcement and pseudo-investment cover stories.
- One of the networks is being documented in collaboration with German colleagues.
One of the networks is being documented in collaboration with German colleagues
Some of the fraudulent call centres were targeting citizens of other countries. Ukrainian police are investigating one such network in collaboration with their German counterparts.
What was seized and how the operators acted
Law enforcement officers seized over 3,300 computers, 1,346 mobile phones and more than 5,200 SIM cards. They also seized 20 crypto wallets, 90 bank cards and 22 cars.
During the investigation, approximately $2 million, €64,000, cash in hryvnia and one kilogram of bank gold were found. Work is ongoing to determine the full extent of the damage caused to the victims.
The scammers posed as bank employees, brokers or law enforcement officers. They persuaded people to invest via fraudulent platforms, forced them to take out loans, transfer money or grant access to their bank accounts.
The National Bank had previously reminded banks and The NBU doesn’t make phone calls customers, in order to obtain their card number, CVV code, SMS codes, or online banking login or password. The regulator advises that, should you receive such a call, you should contact your bank directly using the official telephone number.
