Modern scammers aren’t lone wolves — they’re global operations backed by shell companies, software, and social media ads.
Source: Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project
A new investigation by OCCRP reveals the architecture behind two major international scams — and the businesses powering them.
Why it matters
Fraud is no longer just a crime — it’s an industry.
Scammers rely on marketing pros, tech platforms, shell firms, and unregulated payment systems to siphon billions from victims around the world — and often go unpunished.
️ The Scam Blueprint
Fraud follows a 3-step pipeline — each powered by a network of legitimate-looking service providers:
1. Catching Victims
Scammers use slick digital marketing to lure victims:
- Affiliate marketers create fake ads with phony celebrity endorsements.
- Ad platforms like Meta, Google, and Taboola profit by running the ads.
- Goal: Capture personal info from “leads” — then sell them to call centers.
Notable marketers involved:
MGA Team, Sierra Media, Oray Ads, CRYP
2. Running the Scam
Once leads are in, call centers act fast:
- CRM software tracks every interaction and deposit.
- VoIP tools spoof international numbers.
- Admin firms hide the true operators.
Tech & Services Used:
Getlinked.io, PumaTS, AnyDesk
VoIP: Coperato, Squaretalk
Admin: Za Traiding, Maximateam, Clear IT
3. Getting the Money
Scammers guide victims through transferring funds:
- Payment service providers use fake documents and shell firms to move funds.
- Shell companies obscure the final destination of money.
Financial enablers named:
Revolut, Wise, Santander, BBVA
Payment networks: Bankio, Britain Local
Shell firms: Selterico SL, Greencode, Purplesun
The Takeaway
This isn’t petty crime — it’s infrastructure-enabled fraud.
“Billions are stolen through an industrialized pipeline of deception,” OCCRP reports.
Each piece — the ad, the call, the fake platform, the fake company — builds the illusion.
⚠️ And the same systems that enable startups and remote work also power global crime rings.
️ What’s next?
Governments are behind the curve.
Enforcement lags while scams scale up.
Without accountability for tech platforms and tighter oversight on shell firms, these scams won’t stop — they’ll grow smarter.