Cyber police of Kharkiv region liquidated fraudulent scheme of appropriation of 18 million hryvnias of citizens through phishing
Among the victims of the “scheme” are citizens of Ukraine and foreigners. Using the fake delivery page of the online trading platform, the attackers obtained the details of their bank cards from the victims and subsequently appropriated the money. The organizer carried out such a “scheme” while in custody.
The activities of the criminal organization were exposed by the employees of the Cyber Crime Control Department in the Kharkiv region together with the Kharkiv Police Investigation Department and in cooperation with the Security Service of the Ukrainian Bank.
The scheme was organized by a 20-year-old man who is currently in detention in a detention center. The defendant attracted his co-sellers to the illegal activity, who jointly searched for “workers” on the Internet. Most of the participants of the criminal organization were engaged in the search for potential victims.
Those involved registered on the online trading platform. To make a payment or to sell a product, the attackers provided the victims with a link to a phishing page for filling in bank card details. Other members of the group, using various payment systems, made money transfers from the victims' bank cards to accounts controlled by the organizer. According to operational data, the amount of losses reaches 18 million hryvnias.
It was also established that the attackers implemented this scheme for foreign Internet sites. Among the deceived are citizens of Spain, Portugal, Singapore, Australia and other countries.
Police officers conducted 24 searches in the detention center and in the homes of the defendants. Computer equipment and mobile phones have been removed. Employees of the special purpose police regiment of the Kharkiv region police were also involved in the searches.
The members of the group were detained in accordance with Art. 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
So far, nine defendants have been declared under suspicion of Art. 255 (Creation, leadership of a criminal organization, as well as participation in it), part 3 of Art. 190 (Fraud) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Suspects face up to twelve years in prison with confiscation of property. The issue of choosing a precautionary measure is being resolved.
Procedural management is carried out by the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office.
Cyber Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine
