In Kharkiv, scammers defrauded those wishing to work in the European Union for 700,000 hryvnias
In Kharkiv, two scammers organized a large-scale scheme for illegally obtaining funds from citizens dreaming of legal employment in EU countries. According to the investigation, the total amount of damages exceeded 700,000 hryvnias over 8 months. This was reported by the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office.
How the scammers deceived Kharkiv residents
According to the case materials, the suspects created a series of fake advertisements which were posted on popular online platforms. These advertisements mentioned vacancies in factories, plants, and warehouses in attractive countries for labor migrants such as Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
To avoid detection, the criminals used bank accounts and SIM cards registered to fictitious individuals.
Scammers' scheme with promises of employment in the EU
The scheme for extorting money was multi-stage and well thought out. Once the victim showed interest in the vacancy, a clear algorithm of actions was provided:
- First payment. First, the 'managers' demanded 250 euros from the person for the purported signing of an employment contract and the beginning of document processing.
- Additional costs. Once the first payment was received, the victim was contacted again, explaining the need for additional expenses. This time, it was about payment for 'medical insurance', 'housing rental', or various 'compensations' necessary for the final processing of the departure.
- Disappearance. After receiving funds for one or more items, the scammers simply stopped communicating. They withdrew the money in cash and spent it on their own needs.
The suspects, who acted as a group in a preliminary conspiracy, are charged with Part 2 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (fraud). The pre-trial investigation in the case is being conducted by the investigative department of police № 2 of the Kharkiv district police department № 2.
Earlier, we wrote that Ukrainian Internet scammers pose as bank representatives and promise a monetary reward of 1,000 hryvnias for participating in a survey. But in reality, this is just a cunning way to extract funds from Ukrainians' bank accounts.
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