NCA ceases Russian Coms' operations

As per the information detailed by the NCA, three individuals were arrested, with two of whom being thought to have been involved in the development of the platform. However, they were currently released on conditional bail. In addition, law enforcement partners in the UK and internationally, supported by Europol, are set to jointly take action against users over the upcoming period.

In March, after months of intelligence gathering and investigations, two men were arrested in London by NCA officers, with the platform being taken down during the same period. Fast forward to April 204, the law enforcement agency put under arrest a suspected close affiliate and handset courier from Newham. Currently, the NCA arrested another user, with plans to continue the action over the following months.

Founded in 2021, Russian Coms is believed to be behind substantial financial losses, with approximately 170,000 individuals across the UK being thought to have fallen victim to its activities. In addition, the platform enabled criminals to conceal their identity by appearing to call from pre-selected numbers, mostly financial institutions, telecommunication companies, and law enforcement agencies. Through this, criminals gained the trust of victims before stealing their money and personal details.

Also, between 2021 and 2024, nearly 1.3 million calls were made by Russian Coms users to 500,000 unique UK phone numbers. When it comes to those who reported to Action Fraud, the average loss is over GBP 9,400. Russian Coms was accessible as a handset and, as of late, as a web app, marketed via Snapchat, Instagram, and Telegram. Adverts provided across social media channels underlined that the platform included unlimited minutes, hold music, encrypted phone calls, instant handset wipes, international calls, voice-changing services, and support.

Furthermore, fraudsters could access victims’ money through several methods, including impersonating reputable companies and stealing funds for goods which were never delivered, gaining access to bank accounts, and arranging for the collection of physical debit and credit cards from victims on the façade that they needed replacing. Additionally, the NCA mentioned that victims of all ages suffered losses, and calls were made to people in 107 countries globally, including the USA, New Zealand, Norway, France, and the Bahamas. 

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