Online driver’s license: how fraudsters masquerade as service centers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

30 January 04:01

Obtaining a driver’s license in Ukraine has a clear and uniform algorithm: training at a driving school, passing theoretical and practical exams at the Ministry of Internal Affairs service center. At the same time, social networks and messengers are increasingly filled with advertisements promising “ready-made licenses in a few days, online and without exams.”

The Main Service Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with the Cyber Police, warns that such offers are fraudulent schemes that threaten the loss of money and personal data, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".

How the scam works

Fraudsters create fake accounts that look like the official pages of the Ministry of Internal Affairs service centers.

They use:

the name of a specific MIA service center with a number;
real photos from official resources;
fictitious reviews from “customers” who have allegedly already received their certificates;
working hours and official phone numbers.

The main “bait” is the assurance that the scammers have “their people” in the MIA service center and can “solve the issue” for money. In reality, such “documents” are ordinary plastic cards with no legal force.

Driver’s license scams: why they are dangerous

Oleksandr Ulyanenkov, head of the online fraud prevention division of the Cyber Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine, emphasizes:

“Personal data and copies of documents can be used by criminals in other fraudulent schemes, in particular for obtaining loans or hacking accounts. Therefore, you should not share sensitive data with third parties on the internet.”

According to him, victims often lose not only money but also control over their digital profiles.

How to tell if you are dealing with a fake

Signs of fraudulent accounts:

promises to obtain a license without driving school or exams;
requests to send photos of documents or personal data;
offering an “official” document that will be “reflected in the registers” without going through the procedure;
no confirmation through the Driver’s Office or the Dія app.

The State Service Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs emphasizes that no service center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs sells driver’s licenses online.

How to legally obtain a driver’s license

The official procedure is the same for everyone:

self-study or training at a driving school;
passing a theory test at the MIA Traffic Safety Center;
practical training at a driving school;
passing a practical exam at the MIA service center;
personal receipt of the license after presenting an identity document.

Any “simplified” methods are fraudulent.

Where to find reliable information

To avoid encountering fraudsters, the Ministry of Internal Affairs advises using only the official resources of the Main Service Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and subscribing to verified pages on Telegram, Facebook, and Instagram. This is where up-to-date information about obtaining a driver’s license and other government services is published.