Investment scams involving shares and cryptocurrencies, along with cyber fraud carried out from prisons, were the primary focus of the ProPrevenire Association workshop “Prevention Along the Judicial Chain: Cyber Threats, Joint Responses”, held in connection with CyberSea Festival 2026.
Representatives of the Romanian Police, the National Cyber Security Directorate, the Council of Europe, and cybersecurity experts attended the meeting. ProPrevenire developed the workshop based on the premise that these crimes could not be fully understood, investigated or prevented from a single institutional perspective. Researchers can provide insight into the behaviour of criminals and victims. Law enforcement personnel can share knowledge gained from conducting investigations. Cybersecurity professionals can provide insight into the infrastructure and tools used by criminals to carry out these offences.
During the first session, participants discussed investment scams involving shares and cryptocurrencies. Aurel Hustea, from the National Cyber Security Directorate, Daniel Cuciurianu, from the Council of Europe, and Raluca Seucan, from the Institute for Crime Research and Prevention, discussed how the scams are constructed, how scammers gain the trust of victims and why certain individuals are more susceptible to becoming victims.
More than debating how the scams are constructed, participants also discussed the cross-border nature of these crimes. In many instances, scammers, platforms, accounts and victims may be located in different countries, making investigations much more challenging and giving perpetrators ample opportunity to transfer funds before the authorities take action.
Warnings, public awareness campaigns and cooperation among agencies can help prevent investment scams. However, the timeliness of warnings is critical. Warnings given after a scam has already reached a large number of individuals are likely to have a significantly different impact from those issued when the first signs of fraud become apparent.
During the second session, participants examined cyber fraud coordinated from inside prisons. Participants included Aurel Hustea, from the National Cyber Security Directorate, Daniel Smeu, from Constanța County Police Inspectorate, Laura Voicu, from the Institute for Crime Research and Prevention, and Victor Bucuroiu, from Dâmbovița County Police Inspectorate.
Participants discussed warning signs indicating the occurrence of such activities, described the vulnerabilities exploited by offenders and identified opportunities for the authorities to intervene. Participants also talked about cooperation between law enforcement, prison authorities and cybersecurity specialists.
These scenarios demonstrate that confinement does not necessarily mean that a perpetrator’s involvement in crime ceases. Communication networks, intermediaries and external support can facilitate the continued operation of a criminal network. Addressing such situations requires an understanding of the mechanisms involved in committing fraud, beyond simply identifying the person responsible for initiating communications or sending messages.
“We wanted to initiate discussions that would stem from the reality experienced daily by institutions rather than just theory,” stated Eliza Negoi, President of ProPrevenire Association. “Cybercrime evolves rapidly, so preventing it requires coordination and the timely sharing of information among institutions. Ultimately, what matters most is understanding how scammers select and engage with their victims.”
The event also featured a hands-on operational security workshop led by Cristian Iosub, from CyberShield. Topics included protecting identities, infrastructure and investigative methods in order to minimise the risk of compromising an active investigation.
ProPrevenire sees the benefit of holding workshops like this in creating a collaborative environment for specialists who approach similar issues from different perspectives: researchers, law enforcement officials, cybersecurity professionals. Keeping these perspectives separate can lead to important details being missed.
Dialogue surrounding cyber fraud is particularly beneficial for businesses. Banks, telecommunications providers, software vendors and digital platform providers may discover suspicious transactions, fraudulent campaigns or unusual digital infrastructure before a formal complaint reaches the authorities.
Establishing clear avenues for reporting suspicious activity and ensuring rapid communication may therefore result in tangible benefits for organisations combating cybercrime.
ProPrevenire plans to continue fostering this type of collaboration. The goal of future discussions is to assist institutions and specialists in determining where preventive measures can be implemented sooner, as well as the areas where further cooperation between institutions is required.
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