Authorities have moved against the infrastructure behind an alleged investment fraud business, seizing more than 100 servers and arresting seven suspects on 3 November. The operation targeted a company suspected of supplying fraudulent trading platforms to other criminal groups, rather than just a single scam website.
In its announcement, Europol said the scheme had potential victims in more than 50 countries. Investigators estimate losses above €4 million. Germany’s Itzehoe Public Prosecutor’s Office led the case, with authorities in Albania, Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Kosovo and North Macedonia involved.
Investigators allege that the supplier operated from Cyprus and Israel, providing scam websites through a crime-as-a-service business. Suspected customers ran call centres that pressed people to invest. Europol also described an advertising pipeline: misleading promotions attracted interested users, whose personal information was then sold to criminal call-centre operators.
A convincing balance, an impossible withdrawal
Eurojust’s account describes how the apparent investments worked. Victims made an initial small payment, then saw inflated gains on an online platform. Supposed brokers used those apparent returns to encourage larger transfers. Withdrawal requests brought delays, followed by the operators disappearing.
A German couple’s complaint in 2022 helped start the investigation after they could not withdraw their money. Earlier operations in 2022 and 2025 produced evidence that ultimately led investigators to the suspected platform supplier.
Eurojust said the latest action covered 17 locations, including a call centre in Kosovo. The seven arrests were made for surrender or extradition to Germany. The agency supported investigation orders, arrest warrants and freezing orders, and coordinated judicial actions from The Hague.
The announcements describe allegations and investigative results; they do not establish the suspects’ guilt or promise compensation for victims. Neither agency’s release says that the seized assets cover the reported losses.
