Authorities in Britain have successfully shut down a criminal network that provided tools for phone spoofing. Operating globally, Russian Coms facilitated fraudulent calls on behalf of financial institutions.
The British National Crime Agency conducted the operation, leading to the arrest of three individuals, at least two of whom were involved in developing the platform. The criminals targeted victims in 107 countries, causing harm to more than 170,000 people in the UK alone between 2021 and 2024.
Initially offering a physical handset in 2021, Russian Coms allowed users to make spoofed calls from fake bank numbers. The NCA described the device as resembling standard smartphones but equipped with fake apps and phone numbers to enhance its authenticity.
As the operation expanded, the criminals began selling web apps through social media platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and Telegram. These packages, priced at £350 per month, provided users with 5000 minutes of call time. While Russian Coms managed the infrastructure for spoofing, customers were responsible for executing any phishing or hacking activities independently.
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