Cyberpolice of Dnipropetrovsk region exposed a local resident in illegal registration of online loans to citizens
The defendant, using social engineering methods, issued online loans for citizens in various financial and microcredit organizations. Law enforcement officers managed to expose the fraudulent scheme in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
A 33-year-old resident of Kryvyi Rih with the help of complex social engineering illegally gained access to the financial mobile number, e-mail boxes and accounts on social networks of citizens. In the compromised accounts, she searched for information needed to identify individuals and apply for online loans, including passport and other data.
Subsequently, by falsifying passport data and changing the financial numbers of the victims to her own, the defendant gained access to online banking of citizens. This allowed her not only to “withdraw” the loan money, but also to issue new loans for the victims.
According to preliminary data, the attacker found about 40 victims for more than 300 thousand hryvnias. As part of the investigation, one case was also established when the defendant, through the selection of a password, gained access to the victim's e-mail box, where copies of documents and personal photos were stored. In the future, using this data, the offender gained access to online banking, which actually compromised BankID and entered the mobile application “Action”.
Also, the disclosure of this scheme confirmed the impossibility of obtaining an online loan using digital documents in the “Action” without the participation of their owner.
At the place of residence of the defendants, law enforcement officers searched and seized mobile phones, computer equipment, copies of forged documents and SIM cards used in illegal activities. The defendant was detained in accordance with Art. 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
The woman was declared on suspicion of committing a criminal offense provided for in Part 3 of Art. 190 (Fraud) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The suspect faces up to eight years in prison.
Procedural management is carried out by the Kryvyi Rih Central District Prosecutor's Office.
In order not to suffer from a similar scheme of fraud, the cyber police urges citizens to take care of the protection of their financial number: prohibit the remote replacement of the SIM card from a mobile operator or switch to contract service, use two-factor authentication. We also remind you that you should not publish your financial number on ad platforms and social networks.
Cyber Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine
