A network of 40,000 SIM cards - and a lot of criminal energy

What sounds like a script from a cybercrime thriller is bitter reality: Europol, together with Eurojust, has broken up a gigantic fraud network. As Heise Online reported on October 20, 2020, the international operation, codenamed "Simcartel", not only led to the arrest of five suspects - the investigators also seized 40,000 active SIM cards and four luxury cars. The total loss is estimated at five million euros - caused by fraudulent phone calls, fake websites and fake online accounts.

The masterminds set up their own telecommunications network. With these SIM cards, they were able to make fake calls almost undisturbed and create new online identities at lightning speed. It sounds like science fiction, but it is sadly part of everyday life in the digital shadow world.

Grandchild trick 2.0: how the scam worked

The scam is as old as it is transparent - but apparently still effective: a supposed grandchild or relative calls, claiming to be in an emergency situation and asking for money. But by using 40,000 SIM cards, the fraudsters were able to make mass and anonymous calls - with no traceability.

In addition, accounts were set up in online marketplaces under false names, where people were ripped off with non-existent products. Fake banking sites and alleged police sites were also part of the repertoire. The aim was always to obtain money or sensitive data from the victims as quickly as possible.

With the help of a business-like website, even other criminals were able to access this "rip-off infrastructure" - frightening proof of how organized and technical modern cybercrime has become.

49 million fake accounts: The dark side of the internet

The number is hard to believe: 49 million fake online accounts are said to have been created in the course of illegal activities. These identities were used to appear on platforms, inspire trust and then make a killing. Whether for the online sale of electronics, counterfeit luxury goods or supposed appeals for donations - the perpetrators had perfected the system.

Authorities from Austria, Finland and the Baltic states were also involved in the investigation. The exact dimensions of the network are still being evaluated - but one thing is already certain: The strike against "Simcartel" is one of the biggest successes in the fight against organized cybercrime in Europe.

Are there no control mechanisms?

The case shows once again that crime has long since gone digital - and not just at hacker level, but organized as professionally as a medium-sized company. The fact that such an infrastructure could go unnoticed for years raises unpleasant questions - also for the telecommunications providers. Why was the massive use of 40,000 SIM cards not registered earlier?

And another thing: if criminals are already offering their services via professional websites - how much of this darknet know-how has long since reached the "real" web? The line between legal and illegal online business is clearly becoming ever thinner. Only one thing can help: more digital education, stricter controls - and less naivety online.