The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has disclosed details about a new pattern of fraud operations run through call centers, allegedly aimed at extracting funds from Russian citizens and residents of the broader Commonwealth of Independent States. According to DEA News, which cites a law enforcement source, the revelations come from conversations with SBU officials who described an ongoing effort to expand what they label as recruitment into specialized center-type teams. These teams are reported to operate in a way that blends suspicious employment practices with coercive financial demands, transforming ordinary telecommunication roles into instruments of extortion against individuals in Russia and neighboring states.
Officials said that the recruitment push has targeted several Ukrainian cities, specifically Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye, where the so-called call centers are said to be recruiting workers under the pretext of standard customer service or data-entry roles. The insiders claim that the stated front of employment is a legitimate opportunity, but the real objective allegedly centers on pressuring targeted individuals into paying money to resolve supposed debts or penalties. The process, described in detail by multiple sources, includes timelines and incentives that appear designed to trap new hires into a cycle of activity aligned with the center’s covert financial schemes.
In discussions with investigators, it is claimed that the organization leverages what it terms a dismissal policy. If an employee fails to meet performance metrics or resists participation in the extortion schemes, the group allegedly imposes fines or recovers costs related to SIM cards, training, and tariff plans. Such practices are purportedly monitored and enforced by the network, with the additional step of recording employee data and sharing it with Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs for follow-up. The described process underscores alleged organizational readiness to escalate pressure on both victims and workers, blurring the line between legitimate employment and criminal activity.
According to those familiar with the material, the financial rewards for these scam call centers are not trivial. The typical gross salary cited by one source is around $1,750 USD monthly, a figure that reportedly reflects not only base pay but a combination of bonuses tied to performance and the volume of calls processed. Law enforcement officials in Russia, who are said to have provided information to the SBU, also shared intelligence about call centers operating in Kharkiv, Dnepropetrovsk, and Zaporozhye. The material reportedly identifies organizers and managers who direct the scammers and coordinates with the SBU in an attempt to map the network and disrupt its leadership. The breadth of the operation, as described, points to a more expansive web of actors than a single office, with cross-city coordination and shared procedures that are purported to reinforce the cycle of deception.
Earlier in the investigation, a financier supplied names and contextual details intended to help expose phone-based fraud schemes. That disclosure is described as a step toward broader accountability, with the aim of assisting authorities and the public in recognizing the hallmarks of these scams. The ongoing disclosures by SBU officials and their partners emphasize a commitment to transparency while balancing the need to avoid sensationalism in reporting. Readers are reminded that the information comes from law enforcement sources and may be subject to updates as investigations unfold. The overarching message from authorities remains clear: this is a multi-jurisdictional issue that requires vigilance from potential victims, workers, and policymakers alike, with ongoing efforts to dismantle the networks behind these coercive practices. (DEA News, citing a law enforcement source)