Major operation: a network of fraudulent call centers has been uncovered in Ukraine

Representatives of the prosecutors’ offices of Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Latvia, and Ukraine, with the assistance of Eurojust, have uncovered the activities of a fraudulent call center operating branches in Dnipro, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kyiv.

It is suspected that the members of this call center defrauded residents of European countries, including Lithuania. The criminal group created a network in which the “employees” received salaries—specifically, a percentage of each successful scam. According to available information, the fraudsters deceived at least 400 people, causing losses totaling 10 million euros. They used various schemes, for example pretending to be bank employees or police officers in order to steal people’s money. Typically, they told victims that their bank account had been hacked and persuaded them to transfer money to “safe” accounts.

Members of the group convinced victims to install software on their phones and enter access codes to their accounts, allowing the fraudsters to obtain full access to their banking information. The network recruited workers in the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, and other countries, bringing them to its centers in Dnipro, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kyiv, where they “worked,” scamming residents of European countries. Members of the criminal group performed various tasks: some called victims, others forged documents, and still others collected cash from victims.

Employees received 7% of the “proceeds.” If they managed to extract more than 100,000 euros from a victim, they were promised bonuses—cash, a car, or an apartment in Kyiv. The investigation revealed that no bonuses had ever been paid, as no one had succeeded in stealing such a large amount. The international operation was coordinated and funded by Eurojust. Prosecutors and law enforcement officers from Lithuania, Latvia, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine participated in the operation.

On 9 December 2025, during the international operation, more than 70 searches were conducted, dismantling the infrastructure the fraudsters used. During the searches, more than 300 computers, more than 300 smartphones, several servers, and large quantities of data storage devices were seized. A significant amount of weapons and ammunition was also confiscated. According to the investigation, around 100 people from various EU countries worked in the call centers. There are 45 suspects in Lithuania, Latvia, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine. No Lithuanian citizens were found in the call centers during the operation.

During the operation, 21 vehicles belonging to members of the group were identified and seized. Their total value is up to 300,000 euros. Property was also seized.