Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have uncovered a network of call centres that were defrauding EU citizens
Cyber police officers and investigators from the Main Investigation Department of the National Police of Ukraine, under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General and in cooperation with the Cybercrime Department of the Latvian State Police, have uncovered a group of individuals involved in a fraudulent scheme targeting European Union citizens.
The international investigation was coordinated by Ukrainian liaison officers at Europol through the exchange of information between the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine and Latvia.
According to the investigation, the group’s members organised a network of call centres through which they deceived foreign nationals. Using social engineering techniques, the operators contacted the victims and presented themselves as employees of the Latvian police or banking institutions. Under the pretext of conducting security checks on accounts, they persuaded citizens to provide their online banking access details.
Once they had obtained the information, the criminals carried out unauthorised financial transactions and transferred funds to accounts under their control. The money was subsequently withdrawn in cash and distributed among the scheme’s participants.
The accounts of the front men were controlled by two Ukrainian nationals, residents of Ivano-Frankivsk born in 2001 and 2002. Whilst in Latvia, they sought out individuals to open bank accounts in European countries, after which they gained full control over their cards.
In March, law enforcement officers carried out searches at the suspects’ residences in Ivano-Frankivsk. During the investigations, mobile phones and computer equipment were seized.
To date, more than 20 Latvian citizens have been identified as victims. The total amount of damage caused exceeds 300,000 euros, equivalent to approximately 15 million hryvnias.
The suspects have been notified of their suspicion of money laundering under Part 3 of Article 195 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Latvia. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.
