The presented article is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of regional organized groups or the criminal community of megapolis (St. Petersburg and Leningrad region), the debatable nature of their socio-criminological characteristics. The article indicates possible ways to improve the effectiveness of countering and preventing crime in general, as well as crimes committed using information and telecommunication technologies, in particular. Attention is drawn to the problem of remote fraud, including Internet fraud, in terms of obtaining remote access to customers’ bank cards. It is emphasized that the effectiveness of law enforcement activities in preventing the activities of organized crime is associated with the vulnerability of existing formulations of organized groups or criminal community. The success and effectiveness of countering the activities of organized crime is largely determined at the level of early prevention.