A network of call centers that defrauded people using AI was uncovered in Odessa
A criminal network of call centers has been uncovered in Odesa; according to investigators, the group defrauded citizens of Kazakhstan by posing as representatives of banks and law enforcement agencies.
This was reported on Facebook with reference to the Department of Strategic Investigations of the National Police of Ukraine.
Law enforcement officials have notified 13 suspects in the case of their status as suspects. According to preliminary information, the perpetrators used deepfakes and artificial intelligence technologies to deceive people.
Who is behind the scheme
The criminal organization was created by two residents of Odesa. The perpetrators called citizens of Kazakhstan and introduced themselves as employees of banks, telecommunications companies, and law enforcement agencies in that country.
Under the pretext of “protecting accounts,” “updating apps,” or the threat of criminal prosecution, they convinced people to install malicious software. This gave the criminals access to the victims’ phones and banking services.
The total amount of losses is nearly 2.5 million hryvnias.
How the call center operated
The organization had a clear hierarchy. Each member played a specific role:
administrators—supervised operations and trained staff;
HR—handled hiring and finances;
"cold callers"—made the initial calls to potential victims;
"closers"—more experienced members who were brought in when a victim began to have doubts;
IT specialists, mentors, and operators—handled the technical side of the operation.
Victims’ contact information was obtained through targeted advertising. All calls and interactions were recorded in the CRM system.
Deepfakes and artificial intelligence at the "service" of scammers
To make the victims believe them, the scammers used deepfake technology and images generated by artificial intelligence. This is how they imitated the appearance of “real” representatives of Kazakhstan’s law enforcement agencies.
In addition, they employed psychological pressure tactics: they convinced people that they were facing criminal prosecution and demanded immediate action.
The money they received was spent on buying cars, maintaining a network of call centers, and their own living expenses.
The operation was conducted jointly by operatives from the Strategic Investigations Directorate in the Odesa region, police investigators, the Department for Combating Cybercrime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan, KORD fighters, and a special police battalion. Procedural oversight was provided by the Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
During searches of the suspects’ residences, their vehicles, and the call center premises, the following items were seized:
computer equipment and mobile phones;
data storage devices and bank cards;
call center equipment and rough notes;
vehicles and cash.
Nine suspects were detained under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
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