Officers from the cybercrime unit uncovered an illegal call center operating on the fourth floor of an apartment building. Police described the operation as a ‘cyber bunker’.
According to investigators, a group led by a man born in 2005 and identified as D.Kh., a resident of Fergana region, called people and told them they had won prizes in a promotional campaign.
The callers then told the victims that they needed to temporarily transfer a ‘payment for the prize’ from their approved credit or microloan limit to individual entrepreneurs. In return, they promised to deliver household appliances supposedly won in the promotion.
The group had also registered itself as a seller on an online marketplace. When some customers demanded their promised products or threatened to complain, they were sent very cheap, low-quality or mismatched goods, according to police.
The scheme allowed the suspects to distract victims while obtaining the full amount available under their credit or microloan limits. In many cases, contact with the victims was cut off after the money was transferred.
Investigators found that five operators were working at the illegal call center. They made hundreds of calls to people while posing as representatives of fake online stores operating on social media.
During the operation, police seized 10 computers, eight mobile phones, personal data belonging to citizens, 150 pages of documents containing records of credit limits issued through Uzum Nasiya, and two notebooks as evidence.
Authorities are investigating whether the group was involved in similar cases in other regions. A preliminary investigation is underway to establish the full amount of damage and recover the losses suffered by victims.
Police have urged people who may have been affected by the fraud to contact their nearest police department or call:
