"Ukrainian Police Bust Multimillion-Dollar Phishing Gang"

Ukrainian cyber police have recently disrupted a prolific phishing gang it claims made 160 million hryvnias ($4.3m) from victims across Europe.  The Cyber Police of Ukraine claimed in a notice yesterday that over 30 locations were searched as part of the raids, including the homes of the accused, vehicles, and call centers.  According to the police, mobile phones, SIM cards, and computer equipment were seized in the crackdown.  The group is said to have created over 100 phishing sites offering heavily discounted goods which lured victims into attempting to purchase them.  Once the phishers had victims’ card details, they would use them for follow-on fraud.  The police noted that scammers were also employed in two call centers in Vinnytsia and Lviv and were tasked with convincing shoppers to complete their purchases on the fake sites.  The police claimed to have identified over 1000 victims in the Czech Republic, Poland, France, Spain, Portugal, and other European countries.  The operation was carried out in cooperation with police officers from the Czech Republic.  The police stated that two arrests were made in Ukraine of the suspected ringleaders, and another 10 individuals were detained in unnamed European countries.  The suspected group leaders face charges under Part 4 of Art. 190 (fraud) and Part 1 of Art. 255 (creation, management, and participation in a criminal organization) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.  They could face up to 12 years in jail as a result.

Infosecurity reports: "Ukrainian Police Bust Multimillion-Dollar Phishing Gang"