In Kyiv, fraudsters deceived two elderly individuals, swindling over 2.8 million UAH from them under the pretext of a money check by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). According to the prosecutor's office, the criminals called pensioners, posing as law enforcement officers, and convinced them of the need for verification regarding possible cooperation with the Russian Federation.
Fraud Scheme
The fraudsters employed psychological pressure to compel the elderly victims to hand over their savings. After the phone conversations, they sent couriers to collect the money from the victims. It is reported that the couriers, aged 23 and 31, received several hundred dollars for their services.
Victims' Losses
According to the information, one of the victims handed over:
- over $13,000
- €29,000
- 60,000 UAH
This amounts to nearly 2 million UAH. Another woman transferred to the fraudsters:
- $14,000
- 144,000 UAH
The money collected by the couriers was passed on to other participants in the criminal scheme, including through cryptocurrency accounts, complicating their detection.
Law Enforcement Response
Law enforcement has already initiated an investigation into this crime. They urge citizens to be cautious and not to fall victim to such fraudulent schemes, especially elderly individuals who may be susceptible to manipulation.