Azerbaijan Dismantles Major Cybercrime Network Involved in Data Theft and Fraud
Azerbaijan’s State Security Service has uncovered a sophisticated cybercrime ring operating in the country,
As part of a technical operation, Azerbaijani national Nihad Ahmedoglu Hajiyev was arrested. Authorities say Hajiyev was involved in creating and managing a darknet platform used for the illegal sale of personal data and restricted content. A court has placed him in custody for three months.
Investigators found that the group also launched cyberattacks on news websites, including xeberoxu.az, gaining administrative control and altering published articles.
The criminals promoted malicious mobile apps such as Çarxla Qazan.apk and Paypal.apk to steal user data. They also created fake websites mimicking major Azerbaijani companies — including Irshad Electronics, Baku Electronics, and Xalq Bank — to trick users with false promotions and collect sensitive information.
The group used spoofed phone numbers and fake SMS messages sent on behalf of real individuals and companies, further expanding their fraud operations and offering their services to others.
The State Security Service reports that the investigation is ongoing, with efforts underway to identify other group members and assess the scale of the data leak.
