A network of fraudulent call centres causing millions in losses has been shut down in Zaporizhia
In Zaporizhzhia, law enforcement officers exposed and stopped the activities of several fraudulent call centres, whose participants systematically defrauded citizens of Ukraine and foreign countries. The operation was carried out by cyber police officers of the Zaporizhzhia region together with investigators of the National Police of Ukraine under the procedural guidance of the Voznesensk District Prosecutor's Office of the city of Zaporizhzhia.
The criminals operated according to several schemes. In some cases, they called victims, introducing themselves as bank employees, and persuaded them to transfer funds to so-called secure accounts. In other cases, they posed as tax service employees and demanded loans under the pretext of official or representative needs. Some of the crimes were even coordinated from places of imprisonment.
The police established that the activities were carried out by organised groups with a clear division of roles between operators, so-called closers, coordinators and persons responsible for withdrawing funds through front men. During the searches, law enforcement officers seized computer equipment, dozens of mobile phones, bank cards, data storage devices and rough notes.
A call centre targeting citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan was also shut down. Its participants presented themselves as security service employees of local banks, obtained confidential card data and illegally appropriated funds. According to the investigation, the organiser of the scheme was a resident of Zaporizhzhia, who recruited a coordinator, two closers and several operators. Within the framework of international cooperation with the law enforcement agencies of Kazakhstan, at least seven victims were identified with total losses of more than 8.8 million tenge, which is about 750,000 hryvnia at the NBU exchange rate. Four participants have been notified of suspicion under Part 4 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and face up to eight years in prison.
Another fraudulent scheme was uncovered with the participation of the operational units of the State Criminal Enforcement Service. The call centre, which masqueraded as the security service of a Ukrainian bank, was coordinated by the organiser while he was in prison. The perpetrators persuaded citizens to transfer funds to fictitious accounts, and the drops collected the cash and handed it over to the organisers. In this case, 36 victims were identified with total losses of over 2.6 million hryvnias. The organiser and two perpetrators were charged under Part 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code, which provides for up to 12 years' imprisonment with confiscation of property.
In addition, cyber police liquidated another call centre in Zaporizhia, where the perpetrators posed as tax service employees. As a result of this scheme, at least 12 citizens suffered losses amounting to approximately 680,000 hryvnias. All members of the group have been notified of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The Cyber Police Department notes that the pre-trial investigation is ongoing, and law enforcement officers are identifying possible accomplices and additional episodes of illegal activity.
