A huge criminal platform used by hundreds of fraudsters to con victims across the world has been shut down in a major operation by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
The sophisticated fraud network, known as Russian Coms, is believed to have facilitated tens of millions of pounds in losses since its establishment in 2021.
An estimated 170,000 people across the UK are thought to have fallen victim to scams perpetrated through this platform.
The system allowed fraudsters to mask their identities by manipulating their caller ID.
This enabled them to appear as if they were calling from legitimate sources, such as banks, telecom companies and even law enforcement agencies. By doing so, criminals could easily gain the trust of unsuspecting victims before pilfering their money and personal information.
NCA investigators have uncovered that between 2021 and 2024, Russian Coms users placed over 1.3 million calls to half a million unique UK phone numbers.
The NCA has arrested three individuals in connection with the platform. Two of the suspects are believed to have played key roles in the creation and development of the service. All three have been released on conditional bail pending further investigation.
The NCA's operation, supported by Europol and international law enforcement partners, is set to trigger a wave of actions against users in the coming months, both in the UK and overseas.
Russian Coms, which operated since 2021, offered its services through a physical handset and later expanded to include a web app.
The platform was aggressively marketed on popular social media platforms including Snapchat, Instagram and Telegram. Advertised features included "unlimited minutes", "encrypted phone calls", and "instant handset wipe", among others.
A typical scam orchestrated through Russian Coms involved criminals spoofing bank phone numbers to gain victims' trust.
Posing as bank officials, fraudsters would convince targets that their accounts had been compromised, persuading them to transfer funds to "safe" accounts.
The criminals employed various tactics to access victims' money, including impersonating legitimate companies to steal funds for non-existent goods, gaining full access to bank accounts, and even arranging for the physical collection of victims' debit and credit cards under false pretences.
The scope of the fraud was truly global, with calls made to individuals in 107 countries, including the USA, New Zealand, Norway, France, and the Bahamas. Victims spanned all age groups, with some suffering significant financial losses.
The Russian Coms handset, designed to evade law enforcement detection, could only make spoofed calls.
It featured fake applications to mimic a regular smartphone, alongside VPN apps to mask the user's IP address and a "burn app" for instant data wiping. A six-month contract for this device ranged from £1,200 to £1,400.
For those seeking a more flexible option, the web app was marketed as a "flagship service", offering full access to the Russian Coms web phone for £350 per month, payable in cryptocurrency.
The culmination of months of intelligence gathering and meticulous investigative work came in March when NCA officers arrested two men, aged 26 and 28, in Newham, London.
These individuals are believed to be the platform's developers and administrators. The arrest coincided with the takedown of the Russian Coms platform.
Further progress was made on 12 April 2024, with the arrest of a 28-year-old man, also from Newham, suspected to be a close affiliate and handset courier for the criminal enterprise.
The crackdown continued this week as the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit apprehended another user in Potters Bar.
Adrian Searle, Director of the National Economic Crime Centre within the National Crime Agency, said: "Criminals are increasingly using technology to carry out fraud and other crimes on an industrial scale, causing very real harm to victims in the UK and across the world.
"The NCA and our partners here in the UK and overseas are going after both the criminals and the technology they exploit.
"Whilst this use of technology, which can be called 'crime as a service', promises anonymity, unbeknown to the criminal users, the services also store the users' data, so we can identify who they are and how they operate.
"Users of Russian Coms, and all those tempted to try out similar services, should know that these services cannot be trusted."
The dismantling of Russian Coms highlights the growing concern over technology-enabled fraud.
Recent statistics reveal that fraud accounts for approximately 40 per cent of all crime against individuals in England and Wales, with over 80 per cent believed to be facilitated by technology.
Assistant Commissioner Nik Adams from the City of London Police said: "Fraud is a devastating crime which can have a huge impact on victims, both financially and psychologically, and can hugely impact people's trust in others and services they rely on.
"It is absolutely imperative that everyone takes steps to protect themselves from fraud. If you receive a phone call out of the blue from your bank, financial provider or other official organisation, even if you think it is legitimate, hang up and redial the number on the back of your bank card.
“No official organisation will pressure you to make an immediate financial decision or put pressure on you to reveal your personal details.
"If you have been a victim of fraud, know that it is not your fault and it is never too late to get help.
“Reports of fraud should be made to your bank immediately and to Action Fraud as soon as possible, either online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. Charity Victim Support also provided free and confidential advice."
