Special operation with 40 searches: a network of call centers that defrauded EU citizens of up to UAH 10 million was uncovered
Kyiv • UNN
As part of an international investigation, a criminal group operating in Ukraine and the Czech Republic, defrauding Czech citizens through fraudulent call centers, was liquidated. The organizer and an active participant have been notified of suspicion, and about 500 units of computer equipment have been seized.
A transnational criminal organization defrauded Czech citizens of almost UAH 10 million through a network of fraudulent call centers; it was liquidated, and arrests were made, the Prosecutor General's Office reported on Wednesday, writes UNN.
Details
"A large-scale special operation was conducted, during which a number of fraudulent call centers were liquidated and the activities of a transnational criminal group operating in Ukraine and the Czech Republic were stopped," the Prosecutor General's Office reported.
The investigation was conducted by Ukrainian and Czech law enforcement agencies.
According to the prosecutor's office, a Ukrainian citizen involved citizens from both Ukraine and the Czech Republic and organized fraudulent call centers. They wanted to seize foreigners' money. The fraudsters, as stated, called, posing as employees of banks and law enforcement agencies of the Czech Republic.
"Under the guise of protecting the victims' funds in a supposedly 'hacked bank account,' the perpetrators misled the latter and forced them to transfer money to controlled accounts. Thus, the illegal seizure of an amount equivalent to almost UAH 10 million from citizens of the Czech Republic was documented," the prosecutor's office reported.
More than 40 searches were conducted in Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Vinnytsia, and Zaporizhzhia regions. Computer equipment (about 500 units), mobile phones, documentation, bank cards, and other evidence were found.
As reported, the organizer and one of the active participants were notified of suspicion of creating and participating in a criminal organization, as well as large-scale fraud.
"Currently, one of the suspects - a citizen of Ukraine - has been detained in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. In addition, a citizen of the Czech Republic has been detained for further extradition," the prosecutor's office noted.
Also, within the framework of this investigation, six more members of the group were previously detained by law enforcement officers and handed over to Czech law enforcement agencies.
The pre-trial investigation under Part 4 of Article 190 and Parts 1, 2 of Article 255 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is ongoing.