VIDEO: Transnational Organization Engaged in Cybercrime Revealed in Armenia - Police

The Cybercrime Department of the Criminal Police Main Directorate received operational information about transnational criminal activities as early as 2023. According to reports, companies disguised under the guise of employment placement and software services, managed by foreign nationals, have set up "Call Centers" equipped with computer technology in office spaces across various addresses in Yerevan.

To unveil the criminal mechanisms, the Cybercrime Department deployed nearly its entire arsenal. International collaboration with law enforcement agencies from European countries was also crucial, as reports indicated that the criminal scheme involved citizens from both Armenia and other states, who, proficient in foreign languages, conducted Internet phone calls to individuals located in foreign countries, proposing lucrative investments.

Moreover, members of the criminal group created and operated fake websites that actively advertised across various social media platforms, touting high profitability of investments and the simplicity of the process. As a result, the group members defrauded foreign citizens, misleading them and abusing their trust to steal large sums of money.

Through extensive operational and investigative measures, information was obtained regarding the individuals involved in the criminal mechanism, their aliases, the nature of the operations, and the distribution of roles within the criminal organizations. The criminal organizations operating in Armenia were reportedly managed by several individuals, including foreigners and Armenian citizens.

On December 8 of last year, searches were conducted at various locations in Yerevan. By January 16 of this year, one of the ringleaders of the criminal group was discovered and arrested in Yerevan.

“Based on substantiated evidence, a petition has been submitted to the prosecutor regarding 20 individuals for initiating public criminal prosecution, which has not been rejected,” added Narek Abgaryan, an investigator from the Special Cases Investigation Division of the Investigative Committee.

Currently, the police are actively collaborating with law enforcement agencies from European countries to identify victims of this criminal activity. Measures are also ongoing in Armenia to complete the investigation. We urge individuals who are members of or have assisted this transnational criminal organization to voluntarily present themselves to the Investigative Committee or the police.

Note: Our citizens can also receive similar highly profitable investment offers from abroad via the internet. We urge them to ignore such tempting proposals, even if they are widespread in the country. As the cooperation between law enforcement agencies from different countries against transnational investment fraud develops, we ask individuals to report to law enforcement when receiving suspicious offers.