In Fergana, scammers from a call center were apprehended for extorting money from Russian citizens.

According to the SGB, law enforcement agencies in the Fergana region have disrupted the activities of a criminal group involved in the fraudulent theft of large sums of money from abroad.

As reported by the video story from the Uzbekistan 24 channel, during operational search activities, the leader of the group, born in 1986 and hailing from Fergana, was detained. It is noted that they also received assistance from Russian criminal groups.

According to the investigation, the fraudsters used the personal data of Russians who had previously purchased dietary supplements (BAA) online. Posing as investigators, they claimed that the supplements were counterfeit and offered compensation for the alleged moral damage caused by the sellers. Some of the criminals acted on behalf of representatives from the Ministry of Finance of Russia, promising compensation after the payment of income tax.

To receive the promised payments, the fraudsters demanded that money be transferred to the bank cards they specified, claiming that it was impossible to obtain the funds without this step. It is emphasized that they primarily gained the trust of elderly individuals and embezzled their money.

Criminal proceedings have been initiated against the detainees under Article 168, Part 3, Clause “g” (Fraud committed using an information system) and Article 278-2 (Illegal access to computer information) of the Criminal Code. The investigation is ongoing.