The Rio Grande do Sul civil police operation arrested at least eight people suspected of involvement in a criminal group specializing in fictitious investments. The orders were handed out in Santa Catarina, where the majority of the group lives, according to police.
Fraudsters who lost 20 million Brazilian reais became the target of an operation in South Carolina – Photo: PCRS/Disclosure/NDArrests and seizures took place in Tijucas, Porto Belo, Balneario Camboriu, São Lourenco do Oeste and Itapema. A total of 11 temporary arrest warrants were executed; 21 search and seizure of residential premises; 19 for search and seizure of vehicles; blocking bank accounts of 11 individuals and three companies, as well as blocking the property of 11 individuals and three companies.
The operation is led by Draco (Organized Crime Delegation) from San Luis Gonzaga and started the operation last Wednesday (12). In addition to Santa Catarina, warrants were awarded in São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul.
Hundreds of victims of a criminal gang
The group’s “center” of operations was located at Santo António das Missões (RS). According to the civil police of Rio Grande do Sul, hundreds of victims were injured there.
According to Delegate Heleno dos Santos, head of Draco de São Luiz Gonzaga, and Delegate Gerson de Assis, head of police in Santo António das Missões, the victims went to the police denouncing a company that promised to invest in the stock market with the promise of high returns.
Goods seized by police – Photo: PCRS/Disclosure/NDVictims were lured into virtual groups of highly lucrative “financial investments” managed through the online digital investment platform “Genesis.vet” (Genesis Finance Limited). The name is partly a copy of a financial sector company unrelated to the investigation.
The criminal group is estimated to have harmed more than 4,000 victims in three states, causing more than 20 million reais in damages.
The identified assets, according to the police, were obtained with the money of the victims.
How the scam worked
The victim downloaded the application “Genesis.vet” on his mobile phone and registered personal data (including attached documents). I then received links to join whatsapp groups where I got advice on how to invest. Delegates said there was pressure to invest quickly.
The use of legitimate apps with fake ones has been mixed: for example, foreign currency conversion apps have been used that end up transferring money to criminals via Pix, TED, or boleto, all generated on the platform also regularly; all to make it look like transactions were made through secure websites and apps.
The coup was done when the victims used the Pix and boleto codes, believing that they were actually making investments, when in fact they were transferring values directly into the accounts of criminals or created companies. There are indications that some of the money was deposited in accounts abroad.
Technical language, websites and apps: scammers lure victims with promises of high profits – Credit: PCRS/Disclosure/NDtechnical language
According to the investigations, the scammers used technical language commonly used by investment brokers and financial advisers to lend more credibility to the coup.
They showed goods purchased with false investment returns that were in fact the victims’ money.
Those under investigation still created at least three shell companies and even created a fake person. There have also been legitimate looking websites used to lure victims.
Source: Ndmais