Cyber Police of Ukraine arrested members of a gang that defrauded EU citizens of $4.33M

The
Cyber
Police
of
Ukraine,
with
law
enforcement
officials
from
Czechia,
has
arrested
several
members
of
a
gang
responsible
for
$4.33
million
scam.

The
Cyber
Police
of
Ukraine,
with
the
support
of
law
enforcement
officials
from
the
Czech
Republic,
has
arrested
several
members
of
a
cybercriminal
ring
that
defrauded
EU
citizens
of
$4.33
million
with
phishing
campaigns.

The
suspects
set
up
more
than
100
phishing
websites
to
obtain
the
bank
card
data
and
banking
account
credentials
of
foreign
citizens. 

“The
members
of
the
international
criminal
group
were
exposed
by
the
employees
of
the
Cyber
​​Police
Department
together
with
the
Main
Investigation
Department
of
the
National
Police
and
in
cooperation
with
law
enforcement
officers
of
the
Czech
Republic.”
reads
the


press
release
published
by
the
Cyber
Police
of
Ukraine.
“Some
of
the
people
involved,
who
live
in
Ukraine,
created
more
than
100
phishing
sites
aimed
at
European
users. Various
products
were
offered
on
web
resources
at
below-market
prices. Bank
card
data,
which
customers
indicated
on
phishing
resources
to
pay
for
orders,
automatically
became
known
to
attackers. Later,
they
appropriated
money
from
their
accounts.” 

The
cybercrime
organization
also
created
two
call
centers,
in
Vinnytsia
and
in
Lviv,
as
part
of
the
fraudulent
scheme. Operators
at
the
call
centers
attempted
to
trick
customers
into
making
purchases.

The
websites
were
offering
heavily
discounted
products
to
lure
visitors
placing
orders.
The
bad
news
for
the
users
was
that
the
operators
behind
the
websites
were
only
interested
in
gathering
financial
information
provided
by
the
visitors
while
making
fake
purchases.

The
authorities
identified
more
than
1,000
victims
from
multiple
countries,
including
the
Czech
Republic,
Poland,
France,
Spain,
Portugal
and
other
European
countries. The
police
estimated
that
the
total
amount
of
damages
is
more
than
160
million
hryvnias
($4.3M). 

Police
officers
conducted
more
than
30
searches
in
the
houses
of
the
accused,
in
their
cars
and
at
the
locations
of
call
centers. The
agents
seized
mobile
phones,
SIM
cards
and
computer
equipment
used
in
illegal
activities
were
seized. 

Two
of
the
arrested
individuals
are
believed
to
be
the
masterminds
behind
the
operation,
ten
others
members
of
the
gang
are
detained
in
other
territories
across
the
European
Union.

Criminal
proceedings
have
been
initiated
against
the
perpetrators,
who
may
face
a
maximum
sentence
of
up
to
12
years
in
prison.

“Criminal
proceedings
have
been
opened
under
Part
4
of
Art. 190
(Fraud),
Part
1
of
Art. 255
(Creation,
management
of
a
criminal
community
or
criminal
organization,
as
well
as
participation
in
it)
of
the
Criminal
Code
of
Ukraine. Perpetrators
may
face
up
to
twelve
years
in
prison
with
confiscation
of
property.”
concludes
the
press
release.

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs –

hacking,
Cyber
Police
of
Ukraine)

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About Author

AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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