Fraud in Kyiv: Stolen Funds Returned to Victims
Two elderly women in Kyiv have been reunited with more than one million hryvnias after police tracked down the fraudsters who posed as Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) agents. One victim, a resident of the Holosiivskyi district, was falsely accused of financing an aggressor nation by purchasing Russian-made goods. The scammers conducted a sham search of her apartment via video call, pressuring her to hand over over $8,000 to a courier.
Within less than a day, investigators from the Holosiivskyi police department identified the courier—another elderly Kyiv woman who had also been intimidated with fabricated criminal charges. Officers confiscated the first victim's money from this courier and returned it to its rightful owner. A subsequent search of the courier's home uncovered an additional $65 and 12,400 euros, which she had collected from a second elderly victim.
Rising Fraud Activity
In a separate case, Kyiv police exposed two individuals who swindled 6.7 million hryvnias from 79-year-old Valeriy Pustovoitenko, a former Prime Minister of Ukraine who served from 1997 to 1999. Another incident involved a woman using a fake Telegram account to trick a 31-year-old soldier from the Zhytomyr region into paying nearly 700,000 hryvnias for supposed cancer treatment.
Law enforcement authorities emphasize that they never conduct remote inspections, online searches, or cash declarations. If you receive a suspicious call, police advise:
- End the conversation immediately;
- Call 102 or 112.
These cases highlight a surge in fraudulent schemes that exploit fear and uncertainty, making vigilance essential for everyone who receives unexpected calls.
This situation underscores the need for caution and awareness among the public, especially as scammers increasingly leverage the country's unstable circumstances to manipulate victims.
Police urge citizens to stay alert to suspicious calls and resist psychological pressure, as fraudsters often prey on fear and confusion. Remember that law enforcement never carries out checks via remote communication—if you receive such a call, contact the authorities immediately.
As the recent cases of fraud in Kyiv illustrate, the tactics used by scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated. For instance, one elderly victim lost a staggering amount of money to fraudsters impersonating Security Service agents, highlighting the urgent need for public awareness. To learn more about similar incidents and how they affect vulnerable individuals, read about another shocking case where a pensioner was defrauded of a significant sum.
Another shocking case of fraud targeting the elderly.