SBU and National Police special operation to uncover fraudulent call centers
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the National Police, with the procedural guidance of prosecutors, conducted a large-scale special operation to uncover fraudulent call centers across Ukraine. Since the beginning of last week, law enforcement has terminated the activities of 94 fraudulent call centers, conducted 411 searches, and eliminated 1794 operator workplaces.
The investigative actions took place in various regions, including:
- Kyiv Region
- Dnipropetrovsk Region
- Odesa Region
- Lviv Region
- Vinnytsia Region
- Transcarpathia
- Zaporizhzhia
- Ivano-Frankivsk Region
- and other regions
During the operation, the following were seized:
- over 3336 units of computer equipment
- 1346 phones
- 5238 SIM cards
- 20 cryptocurrency wallets
- 90 bank cards
- 22 vehicles, including premium cars such as:
- Porsche Cayenne
- Cadillac Escalade
- Bentley Bentayga
- Dodge Charger
- Audi
- Lexus
- BMW
- Mercedes-Benz GLS 450
- and BMW motorcycles
Law enforcement also uncovered:
- over 2 million US dollars
- 64 thousand euros
- cash in hryvnias
- a kilogram of banking gold
- elite watches and jewelry
According to preliminary estimates, the fraudsters caused losses to victims of over 100 million hryvnias. Among the victims were citizens of Ukraine, Israel, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Latvia, and other countries of the European Union and Central Asia.
The organizers of the fraudulent schemes recruited staff with knowledge of foreign languages, trained operators with scripts, and used technologies such as polygraphs and deepfake. The fraudsters committed deception through fake investment consultations, trading platforms, and re-defrauding victims under the guise of assistance in recovering investments. They convinced people to take loans, borrow money, and sell property, while the obtained funds were converted into cryptocurrency and split among electronic wallets.
As part of the operation, 26 individuals have been notified of suspicion, and ahead lies the analysis of seized data, establishment of all victims, organizers, and the full circle of those involved in the fraudulent schemes. Cooperation with international partners is being conducted to dissolve transnational fraudulent structures within the framework of joint investigative groups.
This special operation is an important step in the fight against organized crime in Ukraine, especially in the context of the increasing activity of fraudsters who use modern technologies to deceive citizens. The successful uncovering of such schemes can serve as a signal to other countries cooperating in the field of combating financial crimes about the need for joint efforts in this area.
In light of the recent crackdown on fraudulent activities, it is essential to stay informed about ongoing legal actions against those orchestrating such schemes. For instance, a key figure behind the fake currency exchange network has been ordered to remain in custody, highlighting the broader efforts to combat financial fraud in Ukraine.