Victims are primarily citizens of Austria, Italy, Germany, Greece, as well as Canada and the United States.
On April 13 and 14, Albanian police dismantled a major call center network based in Tirana that defrauded thousands of individuals across Europe, Canada, and the United States of several million euros—with total losses potentially reaching up to €50 million.
According to BIRN, the investigation began two years ago following a request for information from Austrian judicial authorities. This request triggered an in-depth inquiry that uncovered a wide-ranging cyber fraud network operating in the Albanian capital. The operation, codenamed “Phantom Call,” was carried out in cooperation with Austrian law enforcement and Europol, under the direction of the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office. During the raids in Tirana, twelve locations—three call centers and nine apartments—were searched. Police reported the arrest of ten individuals and issued arrest warrants for four others. One additional suspect remains at large.
Two preventive measures were also imposed—namely, a travel ban and an obligation to report regularly to a police station. Five individuals—Kristian Buda, Benard Biba, Klejdi Dyrma, Ema Taipi, and Eno Hana—were detained and are suspected of playing leading roles within the operator teams. Authorities seized 443 computers, six laptops, 238 mobile phones, as well as external hard drives and digital recording devices. More than €891,735 in cash was also confiscated.
Operation “Phantom Call” once again highlights how Albania has become a center for global fraud. In recent years, the country has found itself at the epicenter of international financial scams, with organized criminal networks operating sophisticated call centers targeting victims abroad.
The case also reveals the complex methods employed by these groups, which use extortion techniques and psychological manipulation to extract money. Authorities continue to analyze the seized equipment in order to identify potential accomplices and trace financial flows. The investigation is ongoing, with the aim of building a comprehensive case and identifying additional individuals involved in the criminal activity. | BGNES