Criminal Group in Uzbekistan Exposed for Swindling $8 Million from Citizens via Fake Call Center

A fake call center operating through illicit GSM gateway equipment has been uncovered during a joint operation by the Sirdaryo Regional Department of the State Security Service (SSS) and the regional Internal Affairs Directorate.

According to reports, five individuals residing in Tashkent city and the Tashkent region rented a non-residential property in the Mirobod district to establish a fraudulent call center. Posing as bank representatives, the group members would call citizens, claiming that fraudsters were attempting to take out loans in their names. Through this ruse, they obtained the victims' personal information, stole funds from their bank cards, and secured online loans in their names.

The criminal group converted the $8 million they had illicitly acquired into cryptocurrency—using a shell company (a fictitious limited liability company)—before transferring the funds abroad and laundering them. It is reported that the group was led by an individual with a prior criminal record, and its members included an employee from the cybersecurity department at the head office of a major bank. A criminal case has currently been initiated regarding this matter, and 10 individuals linked to the group have been identified during the preliminary investigation.