Illegal Call Center Operations Halted

Last year, the Cybercrime Division of the Criminal Police received operational information that specialized call centers had been established in various areas of the capital, operating out of office spaces. Individuals involved in these centers were allegedly using false identities to propose profitable investments on fake platforms designed by them, while employing remote access software to embezzle substantial amounts of money, which were converted into various cryptocurrencies. This was reported by the National Police of the Republic of Armenia.

“As a result of extensive operational and investigative measures, we managed to clarify who was behind the pseudonyms used in this hidden criminal mechanism. However, it was necessary to prepare for the final act of disclosure. After all, post-revelation and arrests, it is essential to provide a solid evidentiary base, which is the most complex task in such cases,” stated Haik Mkrtchyan, head of the Cybercrime Division of the Criminal Police, lieutenant colonel.

Members of the criminal organizations had registered as companies operating in software and retail trade sectors with tax authorities to conceal their illegal activities from law enforcement. And this was not the only precautionary measure. The computers in the office spaces were used with remote access, mitigating the risk of retaining critical electronic data that held evidential weight. The possibility of surprise raids had also been taken into account; to eliminate evidential data, various security systems were acquired, along with specialized computer programs capable of instantly erasing electronic data from computers.

On January 31, coordinated, unexpected raids were conducted simultaneously by the Main Division of the Criminal Police and the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee in office spaces throughout the capital. Evidence with investigative significance was discovered, indicating that the aforementioned group was allegedly conducting criminal activities.

The police are now actively collaborating with law enforcement agencies in European countries to locate individuals affected by this criminal conduct.