Massive Fraud Scheme in Odessa Targets Czech Citizens, Authorities Uncover Illicit Operation
In a significant crackdown, law enforcement agencies in Odessa have unveiled an extensive fraudulent scheme in which nine individuals swindled Czech citizens out of 5.5 million hryvnias. According to police reports, the perpetrators established a call center that impersonated employees of the national banking regulatory authority in order to mislead their victims.
The fraudsters employed counterfeit phone numbers to carry out their deceptive operations, convincing Czech citizens to grant access to their computers or mobile phones. They also collected sensitive information necessary for accessing victims’ bank accounts, subsequently siphoning off funds from these accounts. In several instances, victims were persuaded to withdraw cash from their cards and deliver it to couriers who promised to secure the money in a «safe location.»
The mastermind behind this illicit scheme was identified as a resident of Dnipro. His team included two Ukrainians and nine others who are currently on international wanted lists for previous fraudulent activities.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement conducted a series of 23 searches, during which they seized multiple computers, mobile devices, luxury vehicles, and over 100,000 dollars in cash. The detained Ukrainians stand accused of fraud, while the extradition of their foreign accomplices is being processed through the courts, with plans to hand them over to Czech authorities.
