Cyberpolice in Zaporizhia uncovered a group of fraudsters who deceived foreigners through social media.

Cyber police in the Zaporizhia region, in collaboration with investigators from the regional police department and under the procedural guidance of the Zaporizhia regional prosecutor's office, have uncovered a fraudulent group. The members of this group were embezzling savings from citizens of Denmark, Finland, Norway, Hungary, and several other countries through phishing schemes on a popular social media platform.

https://zp.reporter.ua/articles/kiberpolicejjski-zaporizhzhja-vikrili-grupu-shakhrayiv-jaki-oshukali-inozemciv-cherez-socmerezhu2025-01-13 10:15:10

The individuals involved had clearly defined specializations. For instance, specialists in computer programming, commonly referred to as "coders" in slang, were responsible for creating phishing resources and significantly automated the process of registering fake accounts. Additionally, they assisted in ensuring the anonymity of their accomplices online.

The so-called "workers" communicated on behalf of fake sellers, manipulating the behavior of citizens and convincing them to click on phishing links and enter financial information on the attackers' websites.

Once the victims entered their payment information on the phishing sites, the so-called "wibers" gained access to the account owners' funds and transferred existing savings to controlled bank cards or converted them into cryptocurrency with the help of "coders."

The law enforcement agencies identified the individuals involved in the fraudulent scheme, primarily residents of the city of Zaporizhzhia. Various categories of people participated in the criminal scheme, each performing specific functions. It was also established that the criminals operated in several European countries, deceiving foreign citizens.

Police, with the support of the special unit TacTeam from the Patrol Police Department, conducted a series of searches at the residences and registered addresses of the suspects in the cities of Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia. They seized computer equipment, mobile phones, bank cards, and notes.

Currently, investigative actions are being carried out within the framework of a criminal proceeding initiated under Part 4 of Article 190 (Fraud) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The penalty for this article provides for up to 8 years of imprisonment.

Ukrainian law enforcement, in coordination with the Department of International Police Cooperation, is working alongside colleagues from Denmark and Finland, as well as Europol, to identify the foreign accomplices of the suspects and determine the full scope of victims and the amount of damages incurred.