At first glance, they look like modern and successful companies: luxurious offices, new computers, dynamic workspaces and young employees speaking several foreign languages. But behind this business-like façade, investigations have uncovered a far darker reality.

Some “Call Centers” in Albania, once seen as employment opportunities for young people, have turned into organized financial fraud structures, where operators contact foreign citizens while posing as investment advisers or representatives of legitimate companies.

High bonuses, cash payments and the promise of quick earnings have attracted many young people into this sector. Meanwhile, experts warn that the phenomenon is creating a dangerous normalization of criminal behavior. According to them, the risk is not limited to the victims of the scams, but also extends to the gradual criminalization of a young generation that gains technical skills and networks which may later be used in other illegal activities.