Exclusive: Reports of Police Raid on Cyprus Call Center

Wednesday, 01/06/2022 | 08:36 GMT by Arnab Shome
  • An unregulated call center is understood to have been raided on Monday
  • At least two arrests are believed to have been made
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Authorities in Cyprus are believed to have raided at least one unregulated call center on Monday, multiple sources confirmed to Finance Magnates.

Details of the raid are yet to be officially confirmed. However, it is understood that the call centers were unregulated and targeting people with possible fraudulent investment schemes. The identity of the operation involved is, at this stage, yet to be disclosed, and it has been speculated that there have been at least two arrests made.

In addition, it is not clear if the raid was conducted by the local Cyprus police alone or with the collaboration of international agencies. However, sources told Finance Magnates that these call centers may have had a strong international presence, possibly in Australia, Germany and/or Canada.

A Hub for Brokers and Affiliates; Also Scams?

Cyprus is one of the most sought-after jurisdictions for forex brokers and affiliates who want to tap the European markets. The low entry barrier for obtaining a financial services regulatory license on the Mediterranean island has made it popular over other jurisdictions within the European Union.

The bust of fraudulent financial services selling tactics with call center operations, commonly known as boiler rooms, was also prevalent in Cyprus. Last October, authorities cracked down on massive forex and crypto investment scams that also led to arrests in Cyprus.

However, such organized scams are not just located in Cyprus. There have been a growing number of police raids on unregulated forex, binary options and crypto operations worldwide. Recently, the authorities in Moldova detained 24 people for running a forex investment scam and receiving deposits of more than €1.5 million. In Thailand too, the police arrested two dozen Chinese and Thai nationals for running forex scams.

Finance Magnates will update once further details are known.

Authorities in Cyprus are believed to have raided at least one unregulated call center on Monday, multiple sources confirmed to Finance Magnates.

Details of the raid are yet to be officially confirmed. However, it is understood that the call centers were unregulated and targeting people with possible fraudulent investment schemes. The identity of the operation involved is, at this stage, yet to be disclosed, and it has been speculated that there have been at least two arrests made.

In addition, it is not clear if the raid was conducted by the local Cyprus police alone or with the collaboration of international agencies. However, sources told Finance Magnates that these call centers may have had a strong international presence, possibly in Australia, Germany and/or Canada.

A Hub for Brokers and Affiliates; Also Scams?

Cyprus is one of the most sought-after jurisdictions for forex brokers and affiliates who want to tap the European markets. The low entry barrier for obtaining a financial services regulatory license on the Mediterranean island has made it popular over other jurisdictions within the European Union.

The bust of fraudulent financial services selling tactics with call center operations, commonly known as boiler rooms, was also prevalent in Cyprus. Last October, authorities cracked down on massive forex and crypto investment scams that also led to arrests in Cyprus.

However, such organized scams are not just located in Cyprus. There have been a growing number of police raids on unregulated forex, binary options and crypto operations worldwide. Recently, the authorities in Moldova detained 24 people for running a forex investment scam and receiving deposits of more than €1.5 million. In Thailand too, the police arrested two dozen Chinese and Thai nationals for running forex scams.

Finance Magnates will update once further details are known.

About the Author: Arnab Shome
Arnab Shome
  • 7315 Articles
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About the Author: Arnab Shome
Arnab Shome is an electronics engineer-turned-financial editor. He holds a Bachelor of Technology from the National Institute of Technology, Agartala. He entered the retail trading industry about a decade ago, covering the cryptocurrency market for Finance Magnates, and later expanded his coverage to include forex and CFDs as well. His work at Finance Magnates includes C-level interviews, data-driven analysis, opinion pieces, and scoops of industry exclusives. He also contributes to Finance Magnates’ quarterly industry report. Area of coverage: 1. CFD broker-related news 2. Industry-related Regulatory updates and developments 3. New retail trading trends 4. Prop trading industry updates 5. Executive interviews Education: Bachelor of Technology - National Institute of Technology, Agartala (India)
  • 7315 Articles
  • 133 Followers

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