Hotnews No. 86 “German Authorities Dismantle Largest Fraud Network in the Balkans”

German Authorities Dismantle Largest Fraud Network in the Balkans—Over €10 Million in Damages

German authorities, with the support of Europol, have successfully dismantled the largest known fraud network operating through call centers in the Western Balkans and Lebanon. In a major international operation conducted on April 18, 20 individuals were arrested, with the damage caused by these fraudulent activities estimated at over €10 million.

Thomas Strobl, Minister of the Interior for the state of Baden-Württemberg, announced that German investigative authorities, in collaboration with Europol and local police forces, conducted raids on 12 call centers located in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Lebanon. One of these centers was based in Novi Pazar, Serbia.

The fraudsters posed as family members or officials from government and financial institutions, using various pretexts to extort money from their victims. They often relied on false claims of urgent need or sudden emergencies, creating panic and fear among those targeted.

The frauds were uncovered when a vigilant bank employee in Germany noticed an attempt to transfer €100,000 to an unknown foreign account, prompting an investigation. Since December last year, investigators have recorded over one million calls, with successful fraud occurring in 6,000 cases.

Minister Strobl emphasized that these criminal acts are particularly dangerous and insidious, as they target the most vulnerable members of society, exploiting their fears and hardships for illegal gain. He also announced that authorities will take all available legal measures to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.

This operation represents a significant step in the fight against fraud and is crucial in protecting the community from such criminal activities. If you have any suspicions or have been targeted by similar scams, we urge you to contact the relevant authorities or reach out to us for assistance and support.

Vlasti u Nemačkoj Razbile Najveći Lanac Prevara na Balkanu—Šteta Preko 10 Miliona Evra

Nemačke vlasti, uz podršku Europola, uspešno su razbile najveći dosad poznati lanac prevara putem pozivnih centara, koji su operisali iz zemalja zapadnog Balkana i Libana. U velikoj međunarodnoj akciji, sprovedenoj 18. aprila, uhapšeno je 20 osoba, a šteta prouzrokovana ovim prevarama procenjuje se na preko 10 miliona evra.

Ministar unutrašnjih poslova pokrajine Baden-Württemberg, Thomas Strobl, saopštio je da su nemački istražni organi, u saradnji sa Europolom i lokalnim policijskim snagama, izvršili pretrese u 12 pozivnih centara smeštenih u Srbiji, Bosni i Hercegovini, na Kosovu i u Libanu. Jedan od ovih centara nalazio se u Novom Pazaru, Srbija.

Prevaranti su se predstavljali kao članovi porodice ili službenici državnih i finansijskih institucija, koristeći različite izgovore da bi iznudili novac od svojih žrtava. Često su se oslanjali na lažne tvrdnje o potrebama za hitnom pomoći ili iznenadnim nevoljama, čime su izazivali paniku i strah kod žrtava.

Ove prevare su otkrivene kada je jedan pažljivi bankarski službenik u Nemačkoj primetio pokušaj prenosa 100.000 evra na nepoznati inostrani račun, što je pokrenulo istragu. Od decembra prošle godine, istražitelji su zabeležili preko milion poziva, pri čemu je u 6.000 slučajeva došlo do uspešne prevare

Ministar Strobl je naglasio da su ova krivična dela posebno opasna i podmukla, jer ciljaju na najranjivije članove društva, koristeći njihove strahove i nevolje za sticanje nezakonite koristi. On je takođe najavio da će vlasti preduzeti sve dostupne pravne mere kako bi počinioci bili privedeni pravdi.

Ova operacija predstavlja značajan korak u borbi protiv prevara i ključna je u zaštiti zajednice od ovakvih kriminalnih aktivnosti. Ukoliko imate bilo kakve sumnje ili ste bili meta sličnih prevara, pozivamo vas da se obratite nadležnim institucijama ili nama za pomoć i podršku.