Albania and Austria: Operation “Ghost Call”, on large-scale online investment fraud through organised call centres in Tirana

2026 marks the 25^th anniversary of the Convention on Cybercrime (also known as the Budapest Convention ).

H ere are 25 selected real cases and operations against cybercrime that speak for themselves on the usefulness and relevance of the Convention and its framework in the daily work of criminal justice authorities worldwide, working on fighting against cybercrime and protecting you and your rights in cyberspace.

Back to the main page

25 cases

Back Albania and Austria: Operation “Ghost Call”, on large-scale online investment fraud through organised call centres in Tirana

Operation “Ghost Call” represented a joint investigation between Albanian and Austrian authorities, supported by Europol and Eurojust, targeting a criminal network involved in large-scale online investment fraud through organised call centres operating in Tirana. The two-year investigation culminated on 17 April 2026 with the arrest of 10 suspects, searches at 3 call centres and 9 private homes, and the seizure of nearly EUR 900 000 in cash, alongside hundreds of electronic devices.

The organised criminal group operated fake online investment platforms targeting victims across Europe and beyond, causing estimated damages exceeding EUR 50 million. The suspects posed as investment brokers and financial advisors, deceiving victims into transferring large amounts of money, which were later channelled through international money laundering schemes.

The most useful Budapest Convention articles/provisions for Operation “Ghost Call” have been those on computer-related fraud (Article 8), search and seizure of stored computer data (Article 19), international co-operation and mutual assistance (Article 23–25), and preservation and access to data (Articles 29–31).