Cyberpolice exposed a criminal group that seized EU citizens for 160 million hryvnias
More than a thousand people were affected by illegal actions. Fraudulent activity was stopped as part of an international police operation.
The participants of the international criminal group were exposed by employees of the Cyber Police Department together with the Main Investigation Department of the National Police and in cooperation with law enforcement officers of the Czech Republic.
Some of the defendants living on the territory of Ukraine have created more than 100 phishing sites aimed at European users. On web resources, various goods were offered at prices below market prices. Bank card data that customers pointed to phishing resources to pay for orders automatically became known to attackers. In the future, they appropriated money from their accounts.
For the fraudulent scheme, the defendants also formed two call centers in Vinnytsia and Lviv and involved operators. Their role was to convince customers to make purchases.
More than 1,000 victims have been identified, including citizens of the Czech Republic, Poland, France, Spain, Portugal and other European countries. The total amount of losses is more than 160 million hryvnias.
Law enforcement officers conducted more than 30 searches in the homes of the defendants, in their cars and at the locations of the call centers.
Employees of the Main Department of Counterintelligence Protection of State Interests in the Information Sphere of SBU in Kharkiv Oblast also participated in the investigative actions.
Attackers can face up to twelve years in prison with confiscation of property.
Two organizers were notified of suspicion and a precautionary measure was chosen - detention. Also on the territory of the European Union, 10 more members of the criminal group were detained.
National Police of Ukraine
