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Romanian police cuff 40+ over €millions telecom blag

Hacked corporate blowers in premium rate phreak caper

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. ®

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