In a major international police operation, an entire network of internet and phone scammers, most of whom operated the “fake cop” scam, was put to rest. A number of Austrians fell victim to the highly organized gang of criminals from India. In this country alone, the damage amounted to about 2.7 million euros!
In a unique “pan-continental collaboration,” the police have managed to deal a heavy blow to both the web scammers and the organized crime behind them, according to a broadcast by the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (BK) on Thursday. Investigations by the BK, Interpol and the Indian police authority CBI (Central Bureau of Investigations) located and destroyed a call center in New Delhi from which phone fraud had been committed worldwide.
Fake Cop scam mode widespread
Internet fraud – including the “fake cop” mode – is on the rise across Europe. Scammers pose as police officers on the phone and trick victims into handing over money and valuables. The scammers often pose as the local police, but more and more often a fictitious Interpol or Europol agent answers the phone. Millions of damages have already been done in Austria!
In mid-September, a victim in Austria received such a phone call. It said the victim’s identity had been stolen and money was now to be transferred. The victim responded correctly and reported the incident to a police check, the BK reports. Fraud specialists became aware of the matter. In the course of the investigation, an informant made highly explosive image and sound material from this call center available to the BK. “The trail of the phone scammers can be traced to New Delhi in India,” the BK broadcast said.
Numerous arrests on entry
Based on the information from Vienna, the authorities in India were able to launch their own investigation. During Operation Haechi, the CBI arrested several suspects in the call center and secured a large amount of electronic evidence. According to the BK, three heads of this criminal gang have also been arrested.
This is where the entry of the Indian authorities into New Delhi took place:
The entry by the Indian authorities took place at the end of September. In Austria, the investigations are carried out in close cooperation with the public prosecutor’s office in Vienna. From a criminal analysis point of view, therefore, it can be assumed that only this call center committed all crimes under the “English-speaking agent” submode in Austria, it said.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation warned that the “fake cop” mode is still widespread and continues to cause massive damage to the civilian population on a weekly basis.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
