A fraudulent call centre that defrauded Latvian citizens of UAH 11 million has been shut down in Kharkiv. This was reported by the National Police.
The fraudsters called Latvians and offered to invest in cryptocurrencies or stocks and earn interest. If the victims agreed, they were provided with a link to follow, and the criminals gained access to their computers and installed a personal account on the fraudulent platform.
To make their fraud more believable, the criminals created and filled websites and pseudo-trading platforms with content, which they constantly administered to give the victims the impression that trading was actually taking place and that their funds were actually being invested.
The fraud was organised by a 27-year-old resident of Kharkiv city, who involved seven other accomplices and executors.
Kharkiv cyber police identified their identities and locations. The police conducted 20 searches and detained five suspects, including the organiser. They seized documents and equipment with contacts and correspondence with potential victims, SIM cards of Latvian operators, a grenade, funds of about $160,000, 250,000 UAH, and five luxury cars.
The National Police investigators served the detainees a notice of suspicion of fraud committed on a large scale as part of a criminal organisation (Part 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), creation and participation in a criminal organisation (Part 1 of Article 255, Part 2 of Article 255 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). All suspects were chosen as a measure of restraint in the form of detention without the right to be released on bail.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing. Three other participants of the fraud are being identified.