In Albania, the shadow of fraudulent online investment platforms continues to grow, raising alarm over the spread of modern “pyramid schemes” that are deceiving thousands of citizens. The issue was recently discussed on Off the Record, a current affairs program on A2 CNN hosted by Andrea Danglli, where cybercrime experts shed light on the phenomenon.
Besart Çerri, a specialist at the Directorate for the Investigation of Cybercrime, was pressed to identify the “hotspots” of these fraudulent operations. While refusing to give a definitive list of affected areas, Çerri confirmed that several Albanian cities have already been targeted, with materials referred to the Prosecutor’s Office for further investigation.
“In relation to this issue, there are several cities in Albania from which we have received information. But we have referred the files to the Prosecution, so it will be better to come back with more concrete details once the investigations are completed,” Çerri explained.
Media reports and political denunciations have already pointed to regions such as Fier, Gramsh, and Divjakë, with Socialist MP Erion Braçe specifically naming the platform TXEX as one of the operators defrauding citizens.
Moderator Andrea Danglli, citing his own data, pushed the conversation further, suggesting that Belsh appears to be the epicenter of this growing pyramid scheme network. Faced with this assertion, Çerri acknowledged that the fraud has indeed ensnared residents in Central Albania, particularly in smaller towns.
“There are several cities in Central and Northern Albania that are operating not only with this platform. I am speaking in general terms, because TXEX is not the only one,” Çerri revealed.
The revelations confirm growing suspicions that online pyramid schemes are evolving into a national crisis, echoing the infamous financial collapses of the 1990s that devastated Albanian households. With new digital tools, the fraudsters are harder to trace, but the damage inflicted on ordinary citizens remains just as severe.
As investigations continue, the spotlight will remain on whether authorities can dismantle these online fraud networks before they spread further across the country.