The National Police Reported on a New Form of Fraud: Why the New Scheme Is Dangerous
11 August 07:54
A dangerous new trend in telephone fraud has been observed in Ukraine: criminals are no longer content with simply swindling people out of money or bank information; instead, they are using psychological pressure to coerce people into committing serious crimes. To intimidate their victims, they pose as employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) or other law enforcement agencies and send forged legal documents.
This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", citing the National Police of Ukraine.
Law enforcement officials emphasize that the fraud is, in fact, only the first stage of the scheme, after which the victim is threatened with possible criminal prosecution and forced to comply with illegal demands.
How the New Fraud Scheme Works
According to the National Police, potential victims include, in particular, people who have previously purchased dietary supplements online.
They receive calls from unknown individuals who identify themselves as employees of the Security Service of Ukraine or other law enforcement agencies.
During the call, the person is told that the product they once purchased was allegedly manufactured in Russia. The victim is then accused of “financing an aggressor state” and threatened with criminal prosecution.
To convince the person of the reality of the threat, the scammers use forged documents.
Scammers send fake summonses and “notices of suspicion”
The National Police explain that the psychological pressure is intensified through messages sent via instant messaging apps.
Victims may receive forged summonses claiming they are required to appear before an investigator, or draft notices of suspicion of collaboration.
Afterward, the criminals try to convince the person that the only way to avoid liability is by complying with their demands.
The police emphasize: no law enforcement agency offers to “resolve” a criminal case by carrying out secret tasks or other illegal actions.
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Such a case has already been reported in Kyiv
Law enforcement officers documented one such incident in the capital.
According to police, the victim was a 69-year-old Kyiv resident who had previously purchased dietary supplements online.
He received a phone call from an unknown person who identified himself as an SBU officer. The man was told that the goods he had purchased were allegedly of Russian origin, so he was accused of “supporting an aggressor state.”
The man was ordered to retrieve a grenade from a hiding place and throw it onto the grounds of a gas station, which he did under the threat of alleged imprisonment. A criminal investigation is underway under the charge of “terrorist act.”
National Police: Fraud Has Become a Means of Luring People into Crime
Law enforcement officials note that the main danger of this new scheme lies precisely in the change in its objective.
Whereas previously scammers mainly sought to obtain money, bank card details, or access to accounts, they can now use psychological pressure to lure citizens into illegal activities.
The National Police explicitly stated that fraud is effectively becoming the first step in luring a person into committing a crime.
How to Tell If a Scammer Is Calling
Law enforcement officials advise being especially wary if the caller:
- identifies themselves as an employee of the SBU, the police, or another government agency and immediately threatens criminal charges;
- accuses you of financing the Russian Federation through a routine purchase of goods;
- sends documents via a messaging app and demands that you take certain actions immediately;
- forbids you from telling relatives about the conversation or contacting law enforcement;
- offers a way to avoid liability by completing a certain “task.”
In such a situation, you should end the conversation and contact the relevant government agency directly through its official channels. Do not follow instructions from strangers or provide them with personal or banking information.
The National Police emphasizes that genuine law enforcement officers do not use such methods to resolve criminal cases.
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