Employees of the Department for Organizing the Fight against the Illegal Use of Information and Communication Technologies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, together with colleagues from the Western Administrative District of the capital, as well as from the Kursk, Orel and Tula regions, stopped the activities of an interregional organized group of cyber scammers.
"The attackers carried out fraudulent actions against the heads of companies and individual entrepreneurs under the pretext of passing mandatory certification to participate in tenders.
Through e-mail correspondence, they contacted representatives of commercial organizations and offered to take part in a closed selection process for the performance of works, services or supply of products. For example, it could be about providing food to employees of a large company, placing them in hotels or hostels, buying gifts and flowers for corporate events.
The main condition for winning the contests was the purchase of certificates of registration in the registers of voluntary certification systems developed in advance by the group members. After the victims paid for the services imposed on them, the scammers stopped contacting them. Contractual obligations were not fulfilled.
For the purpose of conspiracy, emails were sent from electronic mailboxes linked to domain names that correspond to the names of the organizations they allegedly operated for. At the same time, the accomplices used VPN services, regularly changed SIM cards and mobile phones, as well as the addresses of call centers," said Irina Volk, an official representative of the Russian Interior Ministry.
An investigator of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in Moscow opened a criminal case on the grounds of a crime under Part four of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
Searches were conducted in the premises of five call centers, as well as at the residential addresses of the organizers of the criminal scheme in the Moscow region, in the Kursk, Orel and Tula regions. Bank and SIM cards, mobile phones, computer equipment, as well as other items and documents of evidentiary value were seized.
"11 alleged organizers of illegal activities were detained. Two of them were taken into custody, a preventive measure in the form of an obligation to appear was chosen for two of them,and certain actions were prohibited for two more. Five of them are under recognizance not to leave and due behavior," Iryna Volk added.
It should be noted that close relatives, acquaintances and friends of the organizers were involved in the criminal scheme. In total, more than fifty people were taken to the internal affairs bodies for further investigation.
"According to reports, the group has been active since 2019. On a monthly basis, the partners sold at least 300 certificates of pre-developed certification systems for a total amount of about 12 million rubles.
Currently, information about the involvement of the defendants in at least 500 episodes of illegal activity is being checked. The preliminary investigation continues.
Representatives of the Anti - Fraud Department of Sberbank and employees of Rosgvardiya provided assistance in suppressing the group's activities," Irina Volk said.
• Video: https://mvdmedia.ru/upload/medialibrary/bd2/7b1k251r0exdpmwy3r7a3rbbb3l9gg42.mp4
"The attackers carried out fraudulent actions against the heads of companies and individual entrepreneurs under the pretext of passing mandatory certification to participate in tenders.
Through e-mail correspondence, they contacted representatives of commercial organizations and offered to take part in a closed selection process for the performance of works, services or supply of products. For example, it could be about providing food to employees of a large company, placing them in hotels or hostels, buying gifts and flowers for corporate events.
The main condition for winning the contests was the purchase of certificates of registration in the registers of voluntary certification systems developed in advance by the group members. After the victims paid for the services imposed on them, the scammers stopped contacting them. Contractual obligations were not fulfilled.
For the purpose of conspiracy, emails were sent from electronic mailboxes linked to domain names that correspond to the names of the organizations they allegedly operated for. At the same time, the accomplices used VPN services, regularly changed SIM cards and mobile phones, as well as the addresses of call centers," said Irina Volk, an official representative of the Russian Interior Ministry.
An investigator of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in Moscow opened a criminal case on the grounds of a crime under Part four of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
Searches were conducted in the premises of five call centers, as well as at the residential addresses of the organizers of the criminal scheme in the Moscow region, in the Kursk, Orel and Tula regions. Bank and SIM cards, mobile phones, computer equipment, as well as other items and documents of evidentiary value were seized.
"11 alleged organizers of illegal activities were detained. Two of them were taken into custody, a preventive measure in the form of an obligation to appear was chosen for two of them,and certain actions were prohibited for two more. Five of them are under recognizance not to leave and due behavior," Iryna Volk added.
It should be noted that close relatives, acquaintances and friends of the organizers were involved in the criminal scheme. In total, more than fifty people were taken to the internal affairs bodies for further investigation.
"According to reports, the group has been active since 2019. On a monthly basis, the partners sold at least 300 certificates of pre-developed certification systems for a total amount of about 12 million rubles.
Currently, information about the involvement of the defendants in at least 500 episodes of illegal activity is being checked. The preliminary investigation continues.
Representatives of the Anti - Fraud Department of Sberbank and employees of Rosgvardiya provided assistance in suppressing the group's activities," Irina Volk said.
• Video: https://mvdmedia.ru/upload/medialibrary/bd2/7b1k251r0exdpmwy3r7a3rbbb3l9gg42.mp4
