Consciously went to Ukraine to deceive residents of Latvia: Latvian-speaking phone scammers arrested 0 7

In early December, the Cybercrime Division of the State Police of Latvia, in collaboration with the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Latvia, Eurojust, and law enforcement agencies from the Czech Republic, Lithuania, and Ukraine, disrupted the activities of several call centers in various cities of Ukraine where scammers operated. The criminal organized group formed professional mobile teams trained to carry out fraudulent activities.

The scammers posed as employees of mobile operators, banks, or the police to their victims. Various schemes were used to steal funds – for example, the criminals asked to transfer money from supposedly hacked accounts to "safe" accounts controlled by the criminal group. In other cases, victims were ordered to withdraw cash from their bank cards and hand it over to representatives of the organized group posing as police officers. Sometimes the conversation began with the pretext that the SIM card had expired and needed to be updated. The criminals also lied that a person with a general power of attorney to manage the victim's account had come to the bank. In some cases, during the conversation, Latvian citizens were convinced to download and install remote access programs (such as AnyDesk, HopToDesk, etc.) and enter their online banking login details or user ID. This allowed the scammers to gain control over the victims' devices (computer or phone) and manage their bank accounts.

The 12 arrested citizens of Latvia spoke to residents in Latvian. Their goal was to empty the accounts of the callers – the more money the scammer extorted, the higher their reward. The detainees consciously went to Ukraine to work in call centers and deceive residents of Latvia.

More than 400 people fell victim to this criminal network, with total damages exceeding 10 million euros. The material damage caused to citizens of Latvia amounts to over 2 million euros, and the identities of the victims have been established.

In total, 58 searches were conducted in Ukraine, including 14 emergency searches in offices, residential premises, and vehicles. Law enforcement seized:

• fake police and bank employee IDs;
• laptops;
• mobile phones;
• system units;
• hard drives;
• USB drives;
• video recorders;
• polygraphs;
• drafts and documents;
• 21 vehicles, including several luxury cars – Bentley, Hummer, Range Rover, etc., with a total estimated value of about 1.5 million euros.

The citizens of Latvia arrested during the operation are expected to be requested for extradition to the Republic of Latvia for prosecution. Such a crime in Latvia is punishable by imprisonment for up to ten years.

It was previously reported that phone scams in 2025 are the most common type of cyber fraud and have affected hundreds of residents of Latvia.

The scammers' methods are sophisticated and cynical, which is why the State Police urges everyone to protect themselves by remembering the following:

• never transfer money or provide access data to strangers, even if they claim to be bank or police employees;
• under no circumstances install remote access programs at the request of outsiders;
• if you receive an unexpected call about an issue with your account or SIM card – verify the information directly with the bank or the official service center of your mobile operator;
• under no circumstances disclose your banking details, passwords, or codes.

This case clearly demonstrates how important it is to be vigilant and not to trust suspicious calls or messages. If you have any suspicions of possible fraudulent activities, report them immediately to the State Police and your bank.

Law enforcement continues to work to protect citizens and expose criminals. The State Police urges everyone to be attentive and not to fall for the scammers' tricks.