site.btaThree Bulgarians Detained in Belgium for Stealing USD 1 Mln by Phishing

Belgian police detained three Bulgarians suspected of committing online fraud to the approximate amount of USD 1 million, news outlets in the Western European country reported. Subsequently, the suspects were released, with minor measures of restraint issued against them by a local court.

The group is believed to have committed phishing attacks by sending out fraudulent emails imitating well-established corporate sources. In this way it persuaded a company in the United States to remit money for an agreed delivery. The payment was made to a bank account of a Belgian firm based in Ghent.

It was this money transfer that caused the authorities to start a probe. After the money was received in Ghent, it was redistributed to other corporate and personal bank accounts in Belgium and Bulgaria. Searches of immovable property used by the suspects yielded EUR 183,000 in cash and 70 fake EUR 100 banknotes.

One of the Bulgarians was serving a prison sentence, and another one had an electronic tag in connection with another investigation. The Belgian authorities advise people to double-check the online messages they receive and to be particularly vigilant if they are asked to remit money to a company using a different bank account than the original one.