Romanian police are claiming success in breaking up a cybercrime ring blamed for losses of more than €11m ($14.6 million) through telecoms call charge fraud.

Raids on Tuesday led to the arrest of 42 suspected members of the gang, reckoned to be led by two Romanians, according to Romanian prosecutors.

The group specialised in hacking into the corporate phone systems of Western firms before making calls to premium rate numbers under their control, earning a commission in the process. Victims of the scam included corporates in the US, UK, South Africa and Italy as well as Romania, AFP reports.

News of the arrests coincided with a conference on combating cybercrime in the Romanian capital Bucharest this week. ®

Related stories

• Auction fraud complaints prop up declining US cybercrime reports (25 February 2011)
• South African wireless traffic lights pillaged by SIM-card thieves (6 January 2011)
• Commission proposes new EU cybercrime law (11 October 2010)
• French cops take down mobile phone hacking ring (28 September 2010)
• Fugitive VoIP hacker admits 10 million minute spree (3 February 2010)
• Romanian cops cuff 20 phishing suspects (12 March 2009)
• Romanian cops cuff 24 cybercrime suspects (17 July 2008)
• VoIP phreakers establish thriving black market (22 March 2007)