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VIPs as bait: the call center scheme in Tirana that extorted European citizens
New details continue to emerge from the operation against call centers, which took place a few days ago in Tirana. Europol and Eurojust released photos today of the buildings and bags of money, while showing the scheme of how the network operated.
Meanwhile, Austrian media have gone further, showing that the group was so sophisticated that it even used the image or names of a number of well-known local figures to manipulate public opinion.
According to Di Presse, there was a surge in fraud reports in 2023. The damage amounts to at least 50 million euros, but investigators believe it is significantly higher. The fraud involved the use of the identities of well-known figures, from Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen to presenters Armin Wolf and Nadja Bernhard.
The network operating in Tirana created videos with Artificial Intelligence using their images, promoting investments in fraudulent stock exchanges.
Videos featuring the images of Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, footballer David Alaba, former ski star Hermann Maier, TV presenters Armin Assinger and Mirjam Weichselbraun, as well as cabaret artist and presenter of "Willkommen Österreich", Christoph Grissemann, were also used.
So, videos were created as if the characters above had invested in this network and had won. The videos were promoted on social networks, but in fact they were manipulations.
scheme
Victims were lured to seemingly legitimate online investment platforms through fraudulent advertisements on social media or online searches, lured by the promise of profitable investments. After initially registering with these fake online brokers, victims were assigned “holding agents” who impersonated investment advisors or brokers.
These agents managed the victims’ accounts for long periods of time, often using remote access software to gain complete control over the victims’ electronic devices. The fraudsters claimed professional expertise and used psychological pressure to convince the victims to make additional investments, falsely claiming that they would be profitable. In reality, the funds were never invested, but were channeled into a complex international money laundering scheme, eventually disappearing into the hands of the criminal organization. / Pamphlet
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