International fraudulent call center exposed - prosecutor's office
Suspects have been notified of suspicion of members of a criminal organization that, under the guise of providing "legal assistance," embezzled funds from foreign citizens, reports the Office of the Prosecutor General.
According to investigators, the organization operated on the territory of Ukraine and specialized in fraudulent schemes involving so-called "chargeback" — supposedly returning investments after interaction with fake online brokers. They called residents of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and EU countries, posed as lawyers, and promised help in recovering money.
Using social engineering methods, they sent forged documents, called on behalf of "judicial" or "tax" authorities, employed deepfake technology to mask faces, and forced victims to pay "commissions," "court fees," or "taxes." In many cases, people were persuaded to take out loans or sell property to make the next "payment."
Preliminary data indicates that over 4,500 citizens have been affected, with total damages exceeding 186 million UAH.
The organization had a clear hierarchy: from investors and coordinators to team leaders who trained agents, and executors who directly contacted victims. The illegally obtained profits were invested by participants into elite real estate in Kyiv, land in the suburbs, and premium cars.
Nine individuals have been detained under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, and they have been notified of suspicion of creating and participating in a criminal organization (Article 255 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and fraud (Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The pre-trial investigation is conducted by officers of the Main Investigative Department and the Cyber Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine, in cooperation with competent authorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
