Exploring the Typology of Transnational Call Center-Based Investment Fraud: Evidence from the Albanian Case
摘要
This paper explores the emerging typologies of cyber-enabled investment fraud carried out through call center operations, focusing on a high-profile transnational criminal case investigated in Albania in coordination with European judicial authorities. Drawing on prosecutorial findings, digital forensics, and cross-border cooperation mechanisms, the study categorizes key structural and behavioral patterns that define this form of organized crime. The analysis identifies distinct stages within the fraudulent process company creation, victim targeting, psychological grooming, technological intrusion via remote access software, and monetization through cryptocurrency and offshore banking. It further differentiates roles within the criminal enterprise, including recruiter-brokers, script designers, IT enablers, and crypto cash-out operatives. The paper argues that this model of fraud blends traditional social engineering with emerging cyber vulnerabilities, requiring a redefinition of investigation and regulatory responses to contemporary cyber organized crime.