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There were 450 employees who spoke many languages and corporate structure, they pretended to be investment advisors and the initial deposit was 500 euros. How did Europol detect them?
The unprecedented organization of a telephone fraud network, with such a complex and extensive internal structure (with 450 employees), which would only fit into a large joint-stock company, is the element that makes the case of an Albanian call center chain quite special. An indicator of the complexity that characterizes the structure of this criminal network is the fact that it took law enforcement authorities two full years of in-depth investigation to dismantle the organization and arrest at least 10 suspects.
deceit
The fraud network, from its base in Tirana, had expanded its activity to various countries in Europe, including Greece, Protothema writes in an article.
Although Europol and Eurojust do not make public details, such as the real number of people who fell victim to telephone fraud for cryptocurrency investments, large profits, etc., it is certain that a significant portion of the 50 million euros that the Albanian network benefited from comes from the bank accounts of defrauded Greek citizens.
The scammers' method of operation is typical and, paradoxically, very familiar, so it remains incomprehensible how victims continue to fall prey: the target's mobile phone rings. A number appears on the screen, either Greek (with the code +30) or from another reliable country, such as Belgium or Britain. In reality, the call is made from Tirana. A polite voice introduces itself as a representative of a multinational investment advisory company. It promises immediate and large profits, above all safe.
If the victim has already lost money in similar investments, the “advisor” claims that, under his guidance, not only will the lost money be recovered, but there will also be additional profit. As soon as the “investor” falls into the trap, the way is opened for his extortion. The hope of recovering losses from previous scams has blinded hundreds of Greeks, who are gradually being pushed to transfer funds to a supposedly reliable international investment company for the purchase of cryptocurrencies, etc.
Methodical "biting"
The organizational chart of the “enterprise” started at the lowest level, the “advisors” or “investment agents,” i.e. those who made contacts and found victims through random phone calls. These “hunters” were paid 800 euros per month, plus a commission when the victim transferred money. The fraudsters worked in groups of 6–8 people. Each group covered a specific market, depending on the native language of the “advisors.”
Thus, there were groups that communicated with victims in English, German, Italian, Spanish and, of course, Greek. Each group was under the control and supervision of a manager, who reported to his superior, the director of the respective call center. Thanks to this classic hierarchical structure, the Albanian call center “enterprise” functioned efficiently for several years and managed to expand its activity, as evidenced by the total turnover of 50 million euros.
The first and crucial step on the part of the victim was to deposit 500 euros into a digital cryptocurrency wallet. The fake “advisors,” who used pseudonyms and codes, considered this initial transfer as a free signal to “bite” their victims at will and without any limits.
Complaints
Despite the fact that the fraudsters believed they had found an inexhaustible source of exploitation, in June 2023 an increased concentration of complaints from victims of the same network was observed in the Vienna area. Since then, the countdown to dismantling the network has essentially begun. The anti-cyber fraud services from Austria and Albania, in close cooperation with Europol and Eurojust, set up an operational group, which closely followed the activity of the network of fake investment advisors. The digital trail eventually led to the Albanian capital, to 3 office buildings and 9 private homes, where, in addition to the arrests, 443 desktop computers and 6 laptops, 238 mobile phones, digital data storage devices, as well as 891,735 euros were seized.
For Europol, as well as for any national or international service against electronic fraud, the Albanian network of call centers is expected to be used as an example for study and analysis: how a criminal organization can be structured according to the model of a legitimate, dynamically developing and very profitable business. /Adapted Pamphlet /
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