In Kyiv, scammers posing as 'SBU money verification' extorted over 11 million UAH from a scientist
In Kyiv, an 83-year-old Doctor of Medical Sciences was tricked out of more than 11 million hryvnias.
Law enforcement officers found out that an unknown person called the man's mobile phone through one of the messengers. Introducing himself as an officer of the Security Service of Ukraine, the scammer shocked the pensioner with the news that he was allegedly accused of financing the aggressor country by purchasing goods of Russian origin online.
To avoid criminal liability, the unknown person offered the victim to undergo an urgent procedure of "declaring" all savings in the special services' database. For this, the Kyiv resident had to immediately hand over cash to a courier.
Frightened by pressure and manipulation, the pensioner agreed to the conditions. Near his own house, he handed over a huge amount in various currencies to a stranger, which is equivalent to more than 11 million hryvnias, police say.
Fortunately, during investigative actions, the identity of the man who took the money was established — he turned out to be a 30-year-old resident of Zakarpattia Region who came to the capital "to earn money." Law enforcement officers detained the suspect under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. For the "job," the crook received 500 dollars and sent the received money to a crypto wallet.
During a search, mobile phones, bank cards, and cash were seized from him. Currently, police are establishing the detainee's involvement in similar fraud episodes in the capital.
Investigators, under the procedural guidance of the Shevchenkivskyi District Prosecutor's Office, informed the suspect of suspicion under Part 5 of Article 190 — fraud committed on an especially large scale or by an organized group. The Article's sanction provides for imprisonment for up to 12 years with confiscation of property.
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