Fraudsters Set Up Fake Call Center to Deceive Investors

Criminals established a call center with twenty positions, posing as a fake exchange to persuade individuals to invest in cryptocurrency and stocks. Utilizing remote software, they showcased counterfeit profits and controlled the victims' computers. Over thirty citizens from the EU fell victim to this scheme.
In Kyiv, law enforcement from the National Police and the Security Service of Ukraine, in collaboration with European partners, uncovered an organized criminal group involved in creating fraudulent trading platforms. The offenders embezzled funds from foreign investors by simulating trades on stock markets, leading to millions in losses for EU citizens.
According to the investigation, the organizer and two accomplices opened a call center in Kyiv with twenty workstations. Employees of this call center contacted potential victims, persuading them to invest in cryptocurrency and securities. The criminals promised high returns and displayed false results of “trades” on global exchanges.
To boost trust in the platform, the so-called VIP client managers installed special remote access software on the victims' computers. This allowed the fraudsters to control the investors' actions and show them forged profits. When clients transferred money to cryptocurrency wallets, it was immediately cashed out through exchange points in Kyiv.
“The so-called VIP client managers created a false impression of successful trading on global exchanges in the victims. They installed special trading software on the victims' computers through remote access. This enabled the criminals to effectively control the clients' computers and display counterfeit profits,” police reported.
Only five victims invested 8.2 million UAH in cryptocurrency, but the total losses are still being determined. More than thirty foreign nationals have been documented as victims of this scheme.
During a large-scale operation, 21 searches were conducted at residences, the call center, and the vehicles of the suspects. Law enforcement seized over $1.4 million in cash, computer equipment, information carriers, and handwritten accounting records.
Three members of the criminal group have already been notified of suspicion for committing fraud under Part 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Investigators submitted a motion to the court for the detention of the suspects. The identities of another 15 call center employees have also been established, and materials are being prepared to notify them of suspicion.
Under current legislation, members of the criminal group may face up to 12 years in prison.