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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
In Striy, Lviv region, law enforcement officers halted the activities of a fraudulent call center that operated in two rented apartments.
In the city of Striy in Lviv region, law enforcement officers uncovered a fraudulent call center whose participants, according to the investigation, deceived people in Ukraine and abroad by gaining access to gadgets and bank accounts.
Cyber police call this case the first in Ukraine of suspected creation of a fraudulent call center. Three young men were detained and informed of suspicions under articles on fraud, creation and leadership of an electronic communications fraud group, and unauthorized interference in the operation of information systems. The sanctions for the charged articles provide up to 15 years of imprisonment.
According to the investigation, two 23-year-old men recruited a 21-year-old acquaintance into the scheme. They organized the so-called “office” in two rented apartments in Striy.
Potential victims were looked for on online dating services and in messengers. The suspects created fake female profiles, got to know men and gradually gained their trust. For greater plausibility, according to Cyber Police, they used special software that allowed real-time voice changing from male to female. (Cyber Police)
When trusting communication was already established, the interlocutors were sent a file masked as a photograph. In fact, it contained malicious software for remote access.
According to the materials of the investigation, when the photo allegedly did not open, the victim could be persuaded to start screen sharing and change certain smartphone settings. In this way, the fraudsters obtained data necessary to access the device and banking apps.
Cyber police report that after opening the infected file, the criminals could gain covert control over the gadget, confidential data, and bypass two-factor authentication to log in to online banking. The stolen funds, according to law enforcement, were transferred to cryptocurrency for further legalization.
According to preliminary data, at least 50 Ukrainian citizens and 30 foreigners, including Polish, German, and Georgian nationals, suffered from the group's activities.
During nine searches, law enforcement seized computer equipment, mobile phones, SIM cards, bank cards, a crypto wallet, draft notes, and substantial amounts of cash. Cyber police report more than 1,2 million hryvnias and foreign currency whose equivalent exceeds 800 thousand hryvnias.
The fraudulent call center’s activities have been stopped. Pre-trial investigation is ongoing; authorities are identifying other possible participants and victims. The court will provide the final assessment of the defendants’ actions.
As a reminder, we wrote about how the Main Directorate of Intelligence disclosed data on 155 Russian enterprises that are part of or under the control of the Roscosmos holding company “Rostec.” The information was posted in the “Enemy’s Military-Industrial Complex” section of the War&Sanctions portal.
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