Cyberpolice warned about a new rental housing fraud scheme in the Carpathians

The head of the Cybercrime Prevention Department of the National Police of Ukraine, Oleksandr Ulyanenko, explained in the program 'Breakfast with 1+1' how to identify suspicious accounts and protect oneself during online booking.

Ukrainians planning a vacation in the Carpathians have become targets for cybercriminals. Fraudsters are massively creating fake rental ads, collecting prepayments for non-existent houses and apartments. This was reported by the official Telegram channel of the Cyberpolice Department on October 7, 2025.

The fraud scheme looks simple but effective. Scammers create attractive ads with photos of comfortable houses in picturesque locations of the Carpathians, set an enticing price, and demand prepayment. After receiving the funds, communication with the 'landlord' is cut off, leaving tourists without money and accommodation.

The expert highlighted nine key signs to help identify a fake account. First of all, pay attention to newly created pages with a large number of photos uploaded on the same day. Among the followers of such accounts, there are mostly bots, and real people are not tagged.

A suspicious lack of a contact phone number and a price that is too low compared to the market should raise alarms. If payment is made not to an individual entrepreneur or LLC account, but to a private card, this is a warning sign. Scammers also refuse video calls to showcase the property and often change the name of their page.

Cyberpolice representatives urge Ukrainians to be vigilant when booking accommodation online. Verifying an account by the mentioned signs takes a few minutes but can save you from losing money and a ruined vacation.

The appearance of fake rental ads for housing in the Carpathians and other popular tourist destinations can lead to significant financial losses and psychological stress. Ukrainians should be cautious, check each ad, and follow experts' recommendations to avoid fraud while on vacation.