The Security Service of Ukraine blocked the activities of an interregional group that was stealing money from citizens' bank accounts. Allegedly, the daily "profit" of the group was up to UAH one million (USD 35,700).

Reportedly, four residents of Zaporizzhia region and the city of Dnipro set up an underground call center in the city of Melitopol, where almost 50 operators were "working". The scammers managed to operate for several months before they were exposed.

Pretending to be bank employees, the operators were calling clients of financial institutions to get information about CVV-code, numbers and PIN-codes of payment cards. After gaining access to customer accounts, the suspects transferred money to controlled bank accounts.

To "work" with foreign clients, dealers also used illegal routing of international telephone traffic.

During a search of the call center, law enforcement officers found:

• 51 computers with malicious software;
• equipment for IP-telephony;
• instructions for employees with step-by-step actions when communicating with "clients";
• mobile phones, draft records and other evidence of illegal activities.

Currently, the seized equipment is sent for examination.

The SBU initiated criminal proceedings upon the fact of fraud. The investigation is ongoing to establish all victims of the fraud as well as to identify all persons involved in the scheme.

The scammers were exposed together with the Main Directorate of the National Police in Zaporizzhia region under the supervision of Zaporizzhia Regional Prosecutor's Office.