Authorities, backed by Eurojust and Europol, carried out an operation against a network that supplied fake investment platforms. Seven people were detained and more than 100 servers were shut down. The actions took place on November 3, 2026.
Investigators estimate the losses at more than €4 million, or about $4.5 million at the ECB exchange rate for November 3, 2026.
Investigators link the scheme to a company that operated in Cyprus and Israel. According to their version, it supplied fraud sites to criminal groups for online scams, offering “crime as a service” and equipping the groups with fraudulent websites. Authorities say the clients were call centers in Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia.
The scheme worked as a chain. Ads with deceptive offers were placed through affiliate marketing, and the personal data of those who responded was sold to call centers. Call center operators then pressured people to invest more and more. Victims were shown fake profits on the platforms and then moved on to ever larger sums.
The investigation began in 2022 after a couple from Germany filed a complaint when they could not withdraw their money. Two suspects were detained at that time. The operation builds on earlier arrests and searches carried out in 2022 and 2025.
Potential victims were located in more than 50 countries, and the identified suspects included call center managers.
For the affiliate market, the acquisition channel itself matters. The ads placed by affiliate networks led to fake investment platforms, and traffic to those platforms came precisely through such listings.
German prosecutors are handling the case. Prosecutors from Itzehoe in Germany led the investigation, while police and prosecutors from Cyprus, Finland, Albania, Israel, Kosovo and North Macedonia took part in the operation.
