Underground Scams in Ukraine: A Unique Approach to Fund the War Effort
KHARKIV, Ukraine—A growing underground scheme is emerging in which Ukrainians are allegedly defrauding Russians of their savings, channeling funds directly into support for Kyiv’s military forces.
An Inside Look at the Scammers’ Operations
Operating from various call centers across Ukraine, this illicit network known colloquially as “the Office” equips its agents with essential tools such as headsets and software alongside a list of Russian phone numbers. This initiative appears to be rooted in organized crime and aligns with similar fraud practices seen globally from nations including India and the Philippines.
Shift in Target Demographics Post-Invasion
Prior to February 24th, 2022, “the Office” primarily targeted individuals from Western nations, particularly within the United States and companies across Europe. However, following Russia’s military actions against Ukraine, scammers redirected their focus exclusively on Russian citizens. The scam typically starts when victims receive a fraudulent call that pretends to come from a telecommunications company demanding urgent payment; it culminates with victims losing access to their bank accounts entirely.
The Rise of Patriotic Criminals Amid War
As noted by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Crime (GI-TOC), it’s estimated that thousands of such scam call centers have emerged throughout Ukraine since the start of hostilities. This phenomenon reflects a new breed of “patriotic criminals” who aim to financially support Ukrainian defenses during wartime.
Reports indicate these patriots contribute significantly through various means—from cyber operations aimed at disruption to providing humanitarian aid despite their illicit activities.
The Mechanics Behind Each Scam Call
Stas, a 37-year-old operator based in Kharkiv’s branch of this underground outfit described how they execute these scams methodically. Assigned up to 200 different numbers daily, he initiates contact posing as an employee from familiar mobile service providers like Beeline or MTS. Stas alerts his targets: “Your number is at risk; please act now or it will be deactivated.”
A Delicate Manipulation Strategy
While some Russians manage to sense deceit during these calls and hang up promptly, others succumb easily after engaging further. “The key is reeling them in,” reflects Stas without any sign of remorse about his conquests.
“I hear horror stories about people who lose everything—finances and homes—but I can’t say I feel much sympathy for them.”
>Once personal details about potential victims are collected—such as tax identification numbers—they are inputted into an encrypted chatbot developed by Ukrainian hackers aimed at gathering extensive credit histories and asset details linked with those accounts.
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