Fraudsters send “gifts” and “parcels”: Ternopil woman becomes victim

A resident of Ternopil fell into a fraudulent scheme.

The woman lost 145,000 hryvnias.

«It all started with a message on a social network, where unknown persons introduced themselves as employees of a foreign organization and promised the woman to receive a parcel with equipment and money. The offer interested the Ternopil woman, but the «gifts» did not end there. The interlocutors reported that a duty must be paid to receive the transfer. The applicant without a doubt transferred 35,000 hryvnias», – noted the Ternopil region police.

Later, the scammers stated that this amount was not enough, so they demanded another 110,000 hryvnias. The victim agreed and sent the money. Only after the attackers asked for more money did the woman realize that she had fallen for the scammers and turned to the police for help.

A criminal case has been opened in accordance with Art. 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Operational and investigative measures are underway to identify the scammers.

«Scammers never stop inventing new methods to seize other people's funds. Sometimes it is really difficult to recognize a scam, but you should be alerted by the demand to pay money for parcels, gifts or other property. In no case do not transfer money to unknown persons! Remember that real organizations never ask to pre-pay customs duties or other costs for parcels. If you receive a suspicious message, do not respond to it», – the police emphasized.

If you have been a victim of scammers, call the hotline 102. For prompt assistance from employees of the Cyber ​​Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine, please call 0 (800)50-51-70.