Nationwide Crackdown Targets Fraudulent Call Centers
On August 12, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko reported that a large-scale law enforcement operation had dismantled fraudulent call-center activity across Ukraine. The sweep involved 411 searches in multiple regions of the country and resulted in the closure of 94 scam offices and the elimination of 1,974 workplaces. Authorities estimate that the fraudulent schemes caused more than 100 million hryvnias in damage.
The searches were carried out in the Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Lviv, Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhia, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, as well as Zakarpattia and other areas of the country.
"During the searches, investigators seized more than 3,336 pieces of computer equipment, 1,346 phones, 5,238 SIM cards, 20 cryptocurrency wallets, and 90 bank cards. Twenty-two vehicles were also confiscated, including Porsche Cayenne, Cadillac Escalade, Bentley Bentayga, Dodge Charger, Audi, Lexus, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 cars, along with BMW motorcycles," Kravchenko said.
The operation also led to suspicion notices for 26 individuals. According to Kravchenko, the suspects used forged documents and deepfake technology to mislead victims. "The schemes had different forms, but the purpose was always the same — taking other people's money," he said. "Organizers hired staff with foreign-language skills, trained operators using specially prepared scripts, and in many cases used polygraph tests in an attempt to make criminal activity harder to expose."
More than $2 million, 64,000 euros, hryvnia cash, and one kilogram of bank gold in bars were found among the recovered assets. Investigators also seized luxury watches from brands such as Rolex, Cartier, Rado, and Certina, along with other jewelry. The victims include citizens of Ukraine, Israel, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Latvia, and other EU and Central Asian countries.
Kravchenko stressed that Ukrainian authorities are cooperating with foreign partners through joint international investigation teams to dismantle transnational fraud networks. The operation was carried out by the SBU and the National Police, with procedural oversight from the prosecutor's office. The scammers used a range of methods, including fake trading platforms and follow-up fraud committed under the guise of returning investments.
This operation marks a major step in countering organized criminal groups that operate across borders and cause substantial losses. It also underscores both the need for cross-border cooperation and Ukraine's commitment to prosecuting financial crimes and protecting citizens.
This extensive operation aligns with the recent efforts by law enforcement to combat fraudulent activities. For more details on the dismantling of these scam operations, you can read about how the SBU has successfully shut down a significant number of fraudulent call centers across the country in a related report here.