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Contact Us September 16, 2025
Major International Operation Dismantles Multi-Million Euro Sofia Scam Ring
In a major international operation, Bulgarian authorities have exposed a large-scale scam call center operating in Sofia.
In a sweeping cross-border operation led by European Crypto Fraud Intelligence Unit and Bulgarian authorities, a sophisticated criminal network operating a massive fake call center in Sofia has been completely dismantled. After a months-long investigation involving law enforcement from Germany, France, Spain, and Greece, coordinated raids were executed on a nondescript office building in the Bulgarian capital, leading to the arrest of over 150 individuals. The center, masquerading as a legitimate brokerage firm, targeted thousands of vulnerable citizens across the European Union with ruthless efficiency.
The elaborate scam involved operatives using high-pressure sales tactics to convince victims, primarily elderly retirees, to invest significant sums of money into fraudulent cryptocurrency and commodity schemes. Posing as financial advisors from a reputable German company, the callers used sophisticated software to spoof phone numbers and create convincing fake online trading platforms that displayed non-existent profits. This deception allowed the criminal syndicate to siphon more than €10,000,000 from their victims, draining life savings and causing immense financial and emotional devastation.
"This operation strikes a significant blow against a highly organized criminal group that preyed on our citizens from within the EU's own borders," stated a Europol spokesperson. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to track the complex money trail and identify all victims for potential restitution. The bust in Sofia is part of a larger crackdown on fraudulent call centers, highlighting a growing trend of such scams being operated out of Eastern Europe and targeting Western European residents.
Sofia, Bulgaria. September 16, 2025.
The elaborate scam involved operatives using high-pressure sales tactics to convince victims, primarily elderly retirees, to invest significant sums of money into fraudulent cryptocurrency and commodity schemes. Posing as financial advisors from a reputable German company, the callers used sophisticated software to spoof phone numbers and create convincing fake online trading platforms that displayed non-existent profits. This deception allowed the criminal syndicate to siphon more than €10,000,000 from their victims, draining life savings and causing immense financial and emotional devastation.
"This operation strikes a significant blow against a highly organized criminal group that preyed on our citizens from within the EU's own borders," stated a Europol spokesperson. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to track the complex money trail and identify all victims for potential restitution. The bust in Sofia is part of a larger crackdown on fraudulent call centers, highlighting a growing trend of such scams being operated out of Eastern Europe and targeting Western European residents.
Sofia, Bulgaria. September 16, 2025.
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DISCLAIMER
The European Crypto Fraud Intelligence Unit (ECFIU) focuses exclusively on cyber-enabled fraud, primarily within the realms of cryptocurrency and investment schemes. For reports concerning crimes such as human trafficking, human rights violations, terrorist financing, or other serious offenses with a primary physical component, please contact the relevant national law enforcement or government authorities directly.