Law enforcement agencies from several European countries have dismantled a network of fraudulent call centers operating across Ukraine that defrauded hundreds of victims of more than $11.7 million, police said.
According to Eurojust, the EU agency for judicial cooperation, the criminal organization ran professional call centers in Kyiv, Dnipro, and Ivano-Frankivsk.
The group recruited employees from the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, and other European countries, bringing them to Ukraine to work in the call centers. About 100 people are believed to have been involved in the operation.
Call centers moved closer to the front line
Czech police said it has become more common to move such call centers closer to the front line in an apparent attempt to deter law enforcement operations amid Ukraine’s war with Russia.
The call centers were described as professional operations with recruited workers, internal incentives, and organized roles designed to keep victims engaged and transferring money.
Commissions, bonuses, and false incentives
Callers were paid commissions of up to 7 percent of the money they extorted from victims.
Investigators said workers were also promised cash bonuses, cars, or even apartments in Kyiv for top performers.
Authorities said those incentives were never actually paid out.
How the fraud worked
The suspected criminals posed as police officers or bank employees and tricked victims into believing their bank accounts had been hacked.
They then persuaded victims to transfer large sums to safe accounts controlled by the network.
In other cases, victims were told to install remote-access software that allowed the criminals to take over their banking apps.
- Victims were contacted by people posing as police officers or bank employees
- They were told their bank accounts had been hacked
- They were pushed to transfer funds to so-called safe accounts
- Some were tricked into installing remote-access software
- The remote-access tools allowed criminals to control banking apps
More than 400 known victims
Authorities estimate that more than 400 known victims lost at least $11.7 million.
Investigators believe the real number of victims and the true financial damage may be significantly higher.
Coordinated raids across Ukraine
Earlier in December, police carried out dozens of coordinated searches across Kyiv, Dnipro, and Ivano-Frankivsk.
Authorities seized forged IDs, laptops, phones, hard drives, weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and cash.
A polygraph machine was also found during the searches.
Twelve suspects were arrested during the raids, while 45 individuals have been identified as suspects across all participating countries.
- Searches conducted in Kyiv, Dnipro, and Ivano-Frankivsk
- 12 suspects arrested
- 45 individuals identified as suspects
- Forged IDs, laptops, phones, and hard drives seized
- Weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and cash seized
- Polygraph machine found during searches
Separate fake investment operation in Kyiv
In a separate operation, Czech authorities and Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, dismantled another major fraud ring in Kyiv that targeted victims with fake investment schemes.
Police said the call center created fake investment websites designed to mimic legitimate platforms and promoted them using fabricated reviews and advertisements.
The group, allegedly led by a 31-year-old man from Ukraine’s Donetsk region, lured victims into depositing funds that were then diverted to the criminals.
That scheme is believed to have caused nearly $2 million in losses to at least 138 known victims, though authorities expect the number of victims to rise into the thousands.
Warning signs for consumers
This case highlights common warning signs in bank impersonation and investment fraud schemes.
Consumers should be cautious when anyone claiming to be from a bank, police department, or investment platform asks them to move funds, install remote-access software, or keep the situation secret.
- A caller claims your bank account has been hacked
- You are told to move money to a safe or protected account
- Someone claiming to be from a bank or police department asks for urgent action
- You are asked to install remote-access software
- You are pressured not to tell your bank, family, or police
- An investment website uses fake reviews or unrealistic profit claims
Saw something suspicious?
Search or report a suspicious firm, website, email, or phone number.
If you were contacted by a suspicious investment platform, recovery agent, broker, or call centre, preserve evidence and check the entity before sending more money.