In the conditions of war and economic instability, Ukrainians became more vulnerable to cybercrime, especially when it comes to social payments. One of the latest schemes was fraud under the guise of the State Program "Package of the Student". The attackers, hiding themselves with a noble purpose - help children - massively collect the confidential information of citizens and write off funds from their accounts.
The scheme works simply: fake financial aid ads from the state are spreading on social networks. Citizens are invited to fill in a short form on a site that simulates an official state resource. Next - "Mandatory" item: entering a bank card data. Everything looks as convincingly as possible. But as soon as the data is entered, fraudsters immediately withdraw money.
The problem is much deeper than individual episodes of financial loss. Such schemes suffer the most vulnerable categories - parents of young children, displaced persons, families of servicemen. Criminals play emotions and trust in the state they systematically undermine.
It is especially anxious that part of the technical infrastructure of fraudulent call centers is located in Ukraine. According to sources, some of such groups are valid with the tacit consent or direct "crushing" by law enforcement agencies. This creates an atmosphere of impunity in which fraudsters feel confident and citizens are increasingly defenseless.
The fight against such schemes requires immediate response at the cyber police, the SBU and the Ministry of Digital Transformation. And also - transparent and open communication by the state on real assistance programs. Otherwise, trust in the state will be destroyed where it is most needed - in families who need support.
