Cyber police from Poland and Ukraine have uncovered fraudsters from Ukraine who deceived around 600 Poles. Six suspects were detained, offering cryptocurrency investments while defrauding investors of 26 million zlotys (271 million UAH at the current NBU exchange rate).
This was reported by RMF.
The criminal group operated in Ukraine. The first phase of the operation allowed the dismantling of the call center switchboard.
«From the office, phone calls were made to people who were being lured into investments. A large amount of equipment and data carriers were seized at the call center. The group operated on a large scale, and its members enriched themselves at the expense of the deceived», – writes RMF.
The fraudsters’ activities were uncovered by the Polish Central Bureau of Cybercrime in cooperation with the Ukrainian cyber police. The perpetrators operated through fake investment platforms using spoofing methods and remote access tools.
«Fraudsters continue to use fake investment platforms to attract potential investors with promises of quick and substantial profits. In their activities, they use images of famous people and logos of reputable companies to gain trust. Fake advertisements appear on the internet, and contact with the perpetrators occurs after filling out forms on websites. Fraudsters call their victims, often using popular messaging apps, encouraging them to invest in stocks or cryptocurrencies», – reported the cybersecurity department.
The Lodz Voivodeship Prosecutor’s Office announced the suspicion of six Ukrainians. Among those detained are the leader of the fraudsters, two managers, and three employees. In the leader’s apartment, located in an elite penthouse, 600,000 dollars were seized. According to preliminary estimates by investigators, the criminals caused damage to investors amounting to at least 26 million zlotys.
The uncovering operation was carried out at the end of last year. Based on the collected evidence, key findings were forwarded to the Ukrainian cyber police, allowing arrests to be made in several locations in Ukraine. The suspects remain under the supervision of Ukrainian services. The case is coordinated by the Department of Cybercrime and Computerization of the National Prosecutor’s Office of Poland.