The National Police liquidated a large-scale fraudulent scheme: its participants appropriated money from the accounts of more than 10 thousand citizens
To stop the widespread criminal network and conduct investigative actions in 20 regions of the state, a special operation was carried out, in which more than 500 employees of the National Police took part. As a result, 56 attackers were exposed: they sent phishing links to obtain data on citizens' bank cards. In this way, the defendants gained access to accounts, from which they appropriated about 15 million hryvnias.
The illegal activities of fraudsters were exposed by employees of the Cyber Police Department together with the Main Investigation Department of the National Police and the operatives of the Criminal Investigation Department.
During the investigation, the police identified 11 communities: the attackers united on closed thematic channels and forums. Administrators of such communities placed ads about “part-time work”: those who wanted to create and send phishing links, which are very similar to links of official resources, to obtain data on citizens' bank cards.
Phishing was masked in various ways: from offers for cash payments to the sale of various goods, for the most part - household appliances.
Also, those involved searched for potential victims on online trading platforms. The attackers wrote to sellers of goods, posing as buyers. Correspondence was transferred to third-party messengers, phishing links were sent there. Fraudulent sites offered to enter bank card data allegedly to credit money for the goods sold.
After that, the information about the bank cards that the victims entered on fraudulent sites automatically became known to the defendants. In the future, they “withdrew” the money of citizens to controlled accounts.
According to preliminary data, more than 10 thousand citizens were affected by illegal activities. At this time, it is known that the defendants appropriated 15 million hryvnias, but the final amount of damages will be established during the investigation.
Police officers identified 56 persons involved in the fraud, and subsequently conducted searches of the places of residence of the defendants in 20 regions of Ukraine. According to their results, mobile phones, computer equipment, bank cards that were used in illegal activities were seized.
Investigators investigate criminal proceedings under Part 3, 4 of Art. 190 (Fraud) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Materials are being prepared to announce suspicion to attackers.
Procedural leadership is carried out by prosecutors of the Office of the Attorney General.
Cyberpolice remind citizens of the dangers of switching to suspicious hyperlinks. Any differences in the URL may indicate that the user is on a phishing resource.
We recommend that you never provide confidential information, including bank card details, on suspicious websites. When selling or buying goods on ad platforms, discuss the details of the transaction only in the chat of this platform and do not switch to third-party messengers: after all, scammers can send phishing links.
National Police of Ukraine
