NBU reveals the most common scams: what to do to avoid losing money
20 November 2025 10:56
Scammers are constantly adapting their methods, combining psychological pressure and human gullibility, and actively using both telephone and postal services. The National Bank explained which schemes are most common now and how citizens can avoid becoming victims, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
Pseudo-fines for “uncollected medicines”
This is one of the most dangerous schemes, designed primarily for older people. Attackers call and introduce themselves as employees of government or medical institutions. They claim that the person allegedly ordered medicines but did not pick them up from the post office, so the drug had to be disposed of.
Next comes the stage of intimidation. The scammers threaten with “fines” and courts, talk about an allegedly open complaint, and demand urgent compensation for “losses.” Some try to convince you that the money will be automatically deducted from your pension or salary if you “don’t pay voluntarily”.
Remember: government agencies do not call to demand that you pay a fine immediately, let alone deduct money from your income without an official decision.
“Winnings” that turn out to be a scam
Another popular tool of scammers is sending “winning” parcels. A person receives a message with a call to pick up a gift or cash reward. At the post office, through the transparent window of the package, you can see a bundle of money – in fact, these are souvenir banknotes.
Under the impression of easy money, the recipient pays for the delivery and only then realizes that the package is a fake and the money is irretrievably lost.
Fake parcels with an inflated price
This scheme is based on people’s confusion and fear of missing out on something. The victim receives a parcel with inexpensive household goods, such as laundry detergent or cleaning products. The person cannot remember if they have made an order, and to avoid unnecessary hassle, they pay for the package.
The price of such parcels is always overstated by several times. The NBU cited an example: people paid 1000 hryvnias for a regular dishwashing detergent. As a result, they lost money without any benefit.
How to protect yourself from fraudsters: tips from the NBU
In order to avoid falling into the trap of criminals and protect your savings, the National Bank of Ukraine reminds you of a few simple but very important rules:
Do not pay for parcels you did not order.
Don’t trust calls about fines and courts. Always check such information only through official sources of government agencies.
Before paying for any “winnings”, make sure that it is not a scam.
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