The unveiling of a vast international scam network has sent shockwaves across the globe. Leaked data from Georgia has revealed the inner workings of a sophisticated operation that recorded over one million calls with victims. This network, sprawling across several countries, has defrauded thousands, amassing millions in ill-gotten gains. Over a span of three years, a group with call centers in Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Spain, reportedly orchestrated from Israel, swindled an estimated $240 million.
The Georgian operation meticulously documented its interactions, offering a rare glimpse into the fraudulent empire. Many victims unwittingly surrendered control of their devices through an application called AnyDesk, which scammers exploited to manipulate their targets. A notable victim, Theresa, a 74-year-old former NHS doctor living in sheltered housing near London, lost approximately £50,000. Meanwhile, the largest disclosed individual loss came from Derek, a former London Stock Exchange employee.
Internal records from the Georgian hub reveal that approximately 2,000 victims were coerced into parting with substantial sums, with 652 hailing from the UK alone. The network's allure to UK targets is evident, accounting for 45% of attempted calls and nearly a third (£9 million) of the total takings. Canada stood as the second-largest pool of victims, with the operation deploying German, Spanish, and Arabic speakers to widen its net.
Georgia's prosecutor's office is now delving into this network as UK parliamentarians advocate for urgent legislative measures. Despite the substantial sums extracted by Tbilisi agents, even larger networks loom on the horizon.
The leaked data unveils more than just financial transactions; it hints at those potentially orchestrating the Georgian operation. An emblem matching a private Telegram account labeled "A.K" suggests a significant role within the company.
"Get up, push your clients, and get the money flowing … Otherwise, I’ll have to escalate things." – Meri Shotadze
Scammers displayed ruthless tenacity in their operations. Mary, one of the scammers, exhibited callous disregard for her victims:
"Just go ahead and kill yourself … Yeah I can scam whoever I want…You’re so stupid," – Mary (a scammer)
Mary further instructed fellow scammers on deception:
"Tell them you are buying clothes and say you are in the store," – Mary (a scammer)
Even within the internal dynamics of the scamming syndicate, pressure was relentless:
"Kaki is our boss, sometimes he gets angry with us, sometimes he likes us." – Meri Shotadze
The involvement of banking institutions also came to light. High-profile brands like JP Morgan's Chase appeared among the top 10 most affected, with 14 victims using their services. Revolut, Kroo, and Chase assert their commitment to combating fraud and investing heavily in preventative measures.
Victims like Derek expressed frustration at the lack of effective responses:
"I reported this to Action Fraud but I was told the police couldn’t do anything," – Derek
Another victim, Mark, recounted his experience:
"I watched the video [of] Ben Fogle, like trading," – Mark
"So I just bang some details in [and] then I was contacted [by a call center]. It was a £250 buy-in … I was like, ‘Oh, well, it’s worth a go for that’." – Mark
Despite these occurrences, public figures like Ben Fogle distanced themselves from the scams:
"Not sure I need to highlight this," – Ben Fogle