Polish Police and the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime have dismantled an international criminal group that defrauded and laundered nearly 20 million PLN. The criminals used fake call centers and cryptocurrency exchanges to legalize profits. Simultaneously, banks PKO BP and Pekao S.A. have issued urgent warnings about new waves of phishing attacks targeting individual customers and businesses.
Bust of International Gang
CBZC detained 13 people in Wrocław for fraud and laundering 20 million PLN through cryptocurrency exchanges.
Alerts from Major Banks
PKO BP and Pekao S.A. warn about phishing campaigns targeting customers.
Plague of Investment Scams
Police have filed indictments in cases involving fake shares of fuel companies.
Polish Police, in cooperation with international law enforcement agencies, conducted a series of spectacular strikes against cybercrime structures. The most significant success was recorded in Wrocław, where officers from the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime (CBZC) dismantled a group managing fake call centers. The criminals, posing as investment advisors, persuaded victims to transfer funds to cryptocurrency exchanges and then "laundered" the profits through a network of connected exchanges. It is estimated that this particular gang defrauded nearly 20 million PLN, and 13 people of various nationalities were detained during the operation. Investigators secured computer equipment and cash, allowing for further mapping of the group's financial connections. The mechanism of money laundering through cryptocurrencies has become a key challenge for law enforcement in the last decade, replacing traditional methods of transfers through countries with low banking supervision.Simultaneously, the banking sector is sounding the alarm about a massive phishing campaign. Bank Pekao S.A. warns about malicious email attachments, while PKO BP informs about fake messages regarding BLIK. Criminals are increasingly using sophisticated social engineering techniques, impersonating bank employees or streaming platforms like Netflix. In Garwolin, police have filed an indictment against fraudsters offering fictitious shares of fuel companies, showing that the lure of a "safe investment" still effectively attracts victims. Local police units are also noting a return of traditional fraud methods. In Bielsko-Biała and Łódź, individuals operating the "on accident" scam were detained, with seniors losing their life savings as victims. Authorities also warn about scams related to fuel purchases, where offers of eco-pea coal at reduced prices turn out to be traps, and about fake firefighters in Lower Silesia who, under the pretext of distributing carbon monoxide detectors, attempt to enter homes. The scale of the phenomenon forces financial institutions and police not only to take operational actions but also to conduct broad public education. „Działalność grupy polegała na praniu brudnych pieniędzy pochodzących z oszustw internetowych, w tym oszustw typu inwestycyjnego, przy wykorzystaniu infrastruktury płatniczej kantoru kryptowalut.” (The group's activity involved laundering dirty money from internet frauds, including investment-type frauds, using the payment infrastructure of a cryptocurrency exchange.) — Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime
Perspektywy mediów: Liberal media emphasize systemic loopholes in cryptocurrency oversight and call for faster implementation of EU security directives. Conservative media focus on the role of uniformed services and the need for harsher punishment for fraudsters preying on seniors.