Police expose serial internet fraudster who scammed people across Ukraine

Law enforcement officers managed to document twenty-two facts of criminal activity. The criminal scammed citizens by creating fake ads for the sale of non-existent goods on the Internet. In addition, the fraudster illegally gained access to social media accounts, using them to extort money from gullible citizens.

According to the investigation, the 33-year-old man operated throughout Ukraine. He received advance payments under the pretext of selling motorcycles, rims and tires, after which he disappeared. The fraudster also hacked into social media pages and, posing as their owners, asked acquaintances to “borrow” money.

However, the suspect's illegal activities were exposed and stopped by employees of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Main Police Department in Sumy region together with investigators of the Sumy District Police Department in cooperation with employees of criminal analysis.

In addition, it was established that the fraudster issued bank cards to people in difficult life circumstances to receive money from the victims, offering them a monetary reward for this.

During a number of authorized searches, law enforcement officers seized: bank cards, SIM cards, mobile phones, a laptop, notebooks with notes indicating criminal activity.

The attacker Suspicion was brought on 22 facts of crimes, 17 of which under parts 1, 2 of article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (fraud) and 5 – under parts 1, 2 of article 361 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (unauthorized interference in the operation of electronic computers, automated systems, computer networks or telecommunications networks). The total amount of damages is about 250,000 hryvnias.

The procedural management of the case is carried out by the Sumy District Prosecutor's Office. Currently, a pre-trial investigation is underway to establish all the circumstances of the crime and other possible victims of the suspect's actions.