Police dismantle criminal 'call centre' in Bogotá impersonating banks
Police dismantled a clandestine call centre in Bogotá that impersonated banking institutions to commit financial fraud.
Operation in Bogotá exposes telephone banking fraud network
Police dismantled a clandestine call centre in Bogotá dedicated to impersonating banking institutions and extracting financial information from citizens to commit fraud, reported semana.com.
The raided location was fitted out with multiple work stations from which simultaneous calls were made, with an operational structure that imitated customer service procedures of various financial institutions.
Three-stage deception method
Members of the network contacted victims by telephone, presenting themselves as bank officials. They alleged security problems, account blocks or unusual activity in the user's financial products, with the aim of creating urgency and preventing the person from verifying the information.
The organisation operated with a clearly defined division of functions: a first group established initial contact, a second group continued the conversation to gain trust, and a third executed fraudulent operations with the obtained data. The criminals used pre-structured scripts to obtain passwords, verification codes and one-time passwords.
Seized materials
During the operation, authorities seized 48 mobile phones, 322 SIM cards from various operators, four high-connectivity modems and three digital wallets allegedly used to receive and disperse money stolen from victims.
They also found databases with personal information of citizens and the scripts used to impersonate financial institutions. All materials were placed in custody to advance the investigation and determine the scope of the organisation, as well as the possible involvement of other people.
Scope of operations
According to semana.com, the network did not operate exclusively in Bogotá, but its victims extended to different regions of the country. Authorities did not specify the total number of those affected or the amount defrauded as of the time of publication.
Security warnings
Digital security specialists note that this type of crime is mainly sustained by psychological manipulation of victims. Financial institutions reiterate that they never request personal passwords, authentication codes sent by text message or one-time passwords over the telephone. They recommend verifying any communication through the bank's official channels before providing information.
Source: Google News CO — Bogotá