In an ongoing pre-trial investigation, Latvian police have received complaints from several citizens between September 2023 and September 2024, reporting that they received fraudulent phone calls from individuals posing as police and bank employees. The scammers informed the victims that loans were supposedly taken out in their names or that suspicious financial activities were occurring, urging them to assist in "unmasking the scammers." To do so, targets were asked to install the remote access program 'AnyDesk' on their devices and log into their online banking, allowing the criminals to steal their banking credentials and authorize fraudulent transactions.

The fraudulent phone calls were systematic in nature, with the imposters impersonating officials from the State Police and banking institutions. As a result of these cases, several criminal proceedings were initiated which were later consolidated into one main investigation. The scale of the scam has raised significant concerns among law enforcement, leading to a heightened focus on identifying and apprehending not only the individuals making the scam calls but also those enabling these criminal activities as money mules and illegal cryptocurrency exchangers.

The police have so far identified over 170 individuals involved in this scheme, which can have far-reaching implications on public trust in law enforcement and financial institutions. As the investigation continues, authorities are working diligently to mitigate the risks associated with such scams and enhance public awareness to help prevent further victimization in the future.