Ukraine and EU bust transnational fraud call center network – PGO

Ukrainian law enforcement officers, together with law enforcement agencies of Latvia, Lithuania and the Czech Republic, conducted a large-scale international special operation "Connect": an extensive network of fraudulent call centers operating in Ukraine and systematically defrauding citizens of EU countries was liquidated.

"Members of the network recruited citizens of European countries and involved them in work in call centers in Kyiv, Dnipro and Ivano-Frankivsk," the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) said on Telegram on Tuesday.

According to the department, the attackers used various techniques to induce their victims to transfer funds to "safe" accounts or cryptocurrency, and also installed software for remote access.

According to the report, during the special operation in Kyiv, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, more than 70 searches were conducted, as a result of which 11 persons were reported on suspicion under parts 1, 2 of Article 255 (creation and participation in a criminal organization), parts 4, 5 of Article 190 (fraud committed on an especially large scale or by an organized group).

The prosecutor's office notes that six foreigners wanted by EU countries have been detained for further extradition.

In addition, more than 200 units of computer and server equipment, mobile phones, data carriers, documentation and premium cars were seized.

"At least 50 episodes of fraud were documented, losses of more than UAH 50 million were caused to 47 EU citizens," the department notes.

The special operation was carried out within the framework of the work of a joint investigative group and international agreements on legal assistance.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing: electronic evidence is being analyzed, additional episodes and all those involved are being identified.

According to the prosecutor's office, in recent months alone, 277 fraudulent sites in various regions of Ukraine have been shut down with the participation of prosecutors and international partners.