Czech-Ukrainian Crackdown on Phone Scam Gang Posing as Bank Officials
In a joint operation, law enforcement agencies in the Czech Republic and Ukraine have apprehended nine individuals accused of defrauding people over the phone, posing as bank officials.
Arrests and Dismantling of Call Center
The latest arrests were announced earlier this week, following the dismantling of a call center in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa. According to investigators, members of the criminal group allegedly convinced victims that their banking accounts had been compromised.
Fraudulent Activities
- Scammers persuaded victims to transfer funds to a so-called “rescue account.”
- Installed software granting remote access to online banking.
- Asked victims to withdraw cash and hand it over to bogus couriers.
Damages and Identification of Suspects
Between 2022 and 2023, the fraudsters reportedly made over 150 calls, causing an estimated 30 million Czech crowns ($1.2 million) in damages. The Czech police needed 18 months to identify the suspects and unravel their connections.
Use of Real Bank Employees’ Names and Numbers
During the fraudulent phone calls, the hackers used the real names and phone numbers of bank employees to hide their identities.
Seizure of Equipment and Property
A joint force of over 100 police officers from the two countries raided the criminals’ headquarters and seized computer equipment, mobile phones, cars, cash, drugs, and weapons.
Sentencing and Previous Collaborations
One of the detained individuals was the 40-year-old organizer of the scheme, the Ukrainian police confirmed. Another arrest was a 50-year-old woman, who recruited new members from the Czech Republic, placed job advertisements, and trained them. Participants could earn up to 200,000 crowns ($9,000) per month, depending on their skills.
Ukrainian members of the gang could face a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison and confiscation of their property, while others await extradition to the Czech Republic for potential sentences of up to 10 years.
Past Collaborations Between Ukrainian and Czech Law Enforcement
This is not the first time Ukrainian and Czech law enforcement have cooperated to target internet crimes. In November 2023, they took down a criminal gang responsible for making millions through fraudulent phone calls. In January 2023, cybercriminals made tens of thousands of dollars through phishing attacks on e-commerce websites and then called victims to pay for goods or services using phishing links.
Daryna Antoniuk, a reporter for Recorded Future News based in Ukraine, has previously covered cybersecurity startups, cyberattacks in Eastern Europe, and the cyberwar between Ukraine and Russia. She was a tech reporter for Forbes Ukraine and has had her work published in Sifted, The Kyiv Independent, and The Kyiv Post.