Romanian prosecutors and police were involved in 117 raids in Bucharest and several other Romanian cities on Thursday targeting three groups involved in cases of fraud on e-commerce websites. According to a press release, some 1,000 people were the victims of the groups while the total prejudice amounted to some 20 million US dollars.
Romanian investigators worked with US Secret Service and FBI officers of the US Embassy to Bucharest for the operation, according to the press release.
During the period of 2009-2011, suspects used eBay and Craigslist e-commerce websites to lure people with bogus announcements of car, motorcycle, boat or electronic product sales. The money was collected abroad, mostly on US territory, by use of fake identities. It was then sent to Romania by people affiliated to the groups.
Raids were taking place in Bucharest and the cities of Craiova, Targu Jiu, Timisoara, Ramnicu Valcea, Zimnicea, Alexandria, Resita and Pitesti.
