Authorities in Lutsk shut down a fraudulent call center with up to 60 operators who targeted victims in Ukraine and the EU, posing as financial analysts to solicit investments in cryptocurrency and securities before stealing funds through fake fees and account blocks.
Ukrainian law enforcement has dismantled a major fraudulent call center in Lutsk that generated up to $500,000 monthly by targeting victims in Ukraine and the European Union, the National Police reported.
The facility employed about 60 operators who posed as financial analysts, brokers, or representatives of international investment firms to solicit investments in cryptocurrency, securities, and forex markets. Victims were shown fictitious profits on controlled platforms, but withdrawal attempts triggered demands for additional "taxes," "insurance," or transaction fees. Once paid, accounts were blocked and funds routed to organizer-controlled cryptocurrency wallets.
Police determined the ringleader and accomplices operated from Lviv, directing the Lutsk office remotely via intermediaries while using internet telephony and VPNs for concealment.
Raids yielded approximately $30,000 cash, 468 phones, 214 SIM cards, over 1,000 computer units, 193 data devices, network storage, surveillance equipment, a Lexus, and multilingual conversation scripts. Seized assets total roughly 10 million hryvnia.
The investigation continues to identify victims and trace financial flows.
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