The National Crime Agency is currently analyzing a large amount of data obtained from an online platform in order to identify numerous criminals who utilized a phone number spoofing service to cheat victims out of millions of pounds.
The NCA, in collaboration with prosecutors from various countries, obtained data from servers used by Russian Coms, a mobile phone and web-based platform that facilitated criminals in stealing money from approximately 170,000 individuals in the UK. The criminals were able to deceive their victims by spoofing the phone numbers of banks, financial institutions, telecoms companies, and law enforcement agencies before extracting their money and personal information.
Following extensive intelligence gathering and investigative work, NCA officers arrested two individuals suspected to be the developers and administrators of the platform in Newham in March 2024, resulting in the shutdown of the operation. Subsequently, more arrests were made related to the Russian Coms service, with additional arrests anticipated in the future.
Miles Bonfield, Deputy Director of Investigations, emphasized that the NCA had dismantled a sophisticated piece of technical infrastructure and disrupted a significant criminal network. He warned users of Russian Coms and similar services that they were not truly anonymous, as the NCA could track down and identify them using the information gathered.
Adrian Searle, Director of the National Economic Crime Centre, stated that the NCA had obtained a substantial amount of data from the operation, allowing them to pinpoint the users of Russian Coms and take action against the criminals. He mentioned that other phone spoofing platforms were also being targeted by the NCA.
In light of these developments, Nik Adams Temporary Assistant Commissioner at the City of London Police stressed the importance of cooperation from technology companies to combat fraud effectively. He highlighted the need for individuals to secure their data and make informed decisions about their interactions with technology. Adams also mentioned the challenges of preventing phone number spoofing from UK numbers due to legitimate uses and infrastructure issues.
Ultimately, despite its name, Russian Coms operated from the UK and had no ties to Russia, underscoring the global nature of cybercrime.