Arrest in Seefeld

Cybercrime gang unmasked: Traces also lead to Tyrol

An arrest was also made in Tyrol!

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

The Nuremberg CID and the Bavarian Central Cybercrime Unit have reported a success in the fight against organized cybercrime. The five suspects are accused of numerous cases of online fraud, which are likely to have caused millions in damage. The men are in custody. An arrest was also made in Tyrol.

According to the criminal investigation department and the central office, the Romanians are suspected of having obtained data via phishing emails in order to gain access to the merchant accounts of a large online mail order company. They then offered goods such as TV sets and games consoles there from November 2022 to October 2024.

Orders worth over 100 million euros
According to the investigation, customers are said to have placed orders with a total value of around 110 million euros. They were supposed to transfer the money in advance - but the goods were never delivered. So far, 381 victims have been identified by name who paid around 192,000 euros without receiving any goods. Investigations into other victims are continuing, it was reported.

In December, a request for legal assistance was received by the Tyrolean police from the Nuremberg criminal investigation department.

Ein Sprecher der Tiroler Exekutive

Fraud also involving real estate advertisements
The alleged perpetrators are also said to have made off with fraudulent real estate advertisements: Using fake advertisements, they are said to have tried to obtain rental deposits in advance. According to the current state of the investigation, there are at least seven victims who had paid around 17,000 euros.

Search and arrest in Tyrol too
In mid-December, Bavarian forces searched 13 properties in Tyrol, in the Regensburg area and in Romania together with representatives of Romanian and Austrian authorities. The arrest warrants were also executed.

"In December, the Tyrolean police received a request for legal assistance from the Nuremberg criminal investigation department," said a spokesperson for the police in response to an inquiry from Krone. Specifically, there had been a house search in Seefeld. One man had also been arrested.

The investigations in Germany are continuing: according to a spokesperson for the Central Cybercrime Unit, the task now is to further clarify the gang structures behind the crimes and identify possible accomplices.