Albania has become an oasis of call center fraud, from which staggering profits are secured and it is even considered the second most profitable illegal business after drug trafficking in the country.
This was stated, among other things, in the "News 24" studio by journalist Klodjana Lala, as she revealed other details from the "Ghost Call" operation in Tirana and the investigations being conducted into the three illegal entities that were defrauding foreign citizens, mainly in Austria.
Lala explained that searches are currently being conducted for the real owners of these illegal entities and their boss, along with his wife, are well-known characters.
But the journalist emphasized that this activity, which brings in millions of euros in profits, is not done without the blessing of the authorities in Albania, so she emphasized that "this is the main challenge for justice and the new police chief," to crack down and remove the country from the map of this fraudulent business.
"It is being investigated in only one direction now, to identify the real owners of the Call-Centers that were hit on Kavaja Street in the apartments there and in the Zoo area, the Prosecution is more or less clear about who these suspected names are. This is an investigation that has lasted two years now. First, we will go to the evidence, from the questioning of the people questioned, from the research, the findings, the way the money was laundered, they have not yet declared the boss of the Call-Center wanted, along with his wife, he is not an unknown character. He is a character who is known in the circle of those who are considered the bosses of the Call-Centers", she said.
Lala explained that most of the names in the signed contracts are other people, that is, fictitious and not real owners. Meanwhile, video footage of the subjects is also being analyzed to discover the managers.
"The names that conclude contracts and establish names or operate are secondary or tertiary, but the real boat does not leave their name anywhere, so there must be either international transactions, or traces left, or film footage of it in these environments. For example, at the Towers in Tirana, all the film footage has been seen, the entrances and exits, the foreigners who have come," she continued.
The journalist underlined that illegal activity with fraud is the most profitable after drug trafficking on the Albanian crime map.
"Call centers are the second most profitable business after cocaine trafficking in Albania. There are two lines of investigation, one that comes from abroad to SPAK, like that of Spain, where we mention the case of Armand Josifi who defrauded thousands of foreign citizens. He was one of the classic cases of the method of fraud for life savings. This activity continues and I have said that this activity cannot be left alone by justice and the Police, so I think that this is also the main task and challenge of Mr. Hitaj, the General Director of the Police, to crack down on this activity, to remove Albania from the map, as it is considered an oasis of fraud with call centers of thousands and thousands of European citizens", said Lala.
She even shared the opinion that this business cannot be done without the blessing of the authorities:
"These Call Centers do not carry out activities without the blessing of the Albanian authorities. They have been extended to the US and Canada. They increase the investment portfolio to thousands of euros and call people, taking their savings and then disappearing that portfolio along with the profits," the journalist said.
