PJ and Brazilian police dismantle network that harmed victims in Portugal
Operation in Brazil had the collaboration of PJ.
![PJ and Brazilian police dismantle network that harmed victims in Portugal](https://media-manager.noticiasaominuto.com/960/naom_6655f9ca6a8e0.jpeg)
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País Brasil
The Brazilian Federal Police carried out 21 search and seizure warrants and six preventive arrest warrants in Fortaleza and five other states on Tuesday morning, the 28th, against a gang suspected of diverting around 10 million reais (around 1.8 million euros) in an international banking fraud that victimized people in Portugal.
According to a statement from the Federal Police, the criminal organization was responsible for diverting all the money from the bank accounts of Portuguese bank customers.
The investigations indicated that there were members of the criminal group responsible for hacking the victims' computer devices to obtain banking data.
They used phishing techniques (by creating websites similar to those of Portuguese banks), but also sent smishing (messages) and vishing (phone calls).
The division of tasks among the members of the criminal organization also revealed the existence of people with the specific function of making phone calls with a Portuguese accent in order to convince Portuguese victims to provide relevant data or adopt some conduct that would allow them to obtain confidential data.
The amounts withdrawn from bank accounts in Portugal were initially diverted to bank accounts opened in Portugal, whose holders were Portuguese, Brazilian, and of other nationalities. After the first bank transfers in Portugal, the amounts were taken to Brazil by other suspects. They maintained accounts opened in companies that make international money transfers and remittances, intended to receive money of criminal origin in Brazil.
After being received in Brazil in the name of third parties, the amounts were then transferred or withdrawn in cash and then deposited in favor of people directly linked to the gang members.
The criminal group also laundered the fraud proceeds in vast investments in cryptocurrencies, which were converted into current money in Brazil for the criminals' enjoyment. The crimes of criminal organization, hacking of computer devices, theft through fraud, and money laundering are being investigated.
The Brazilian police also guarantee that the police cooperation with the Judiciary Police (PJ) and the international legal cooperation maintained between Brazil and Portugal "were essential for the progress of the investigations in Brazil". The investigations also had the support of INTERPOL's Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Center (IFCACC).
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