They posed as representatives of UNITED24 and UNICEF: police uncovered a large-scale fraud scheme

Law enforcement have uncovered a group of individuals suspected of fraud under the guise of arranging financial assistance from well-known charitable and international organizations. The total amount of damage caused to the victims exceeds one million hryvnias.

This was reported on June 23, 2026, by the Cyberpolice Department of the National Police of Ukraine.

According to the investigation, the suspects posed as representatives of the Olena Zelenska Foundation, the UNITED24 platform, the Come Back Alive charitable foundation, the Ukrainian Red Cross, and UNICEF.

Potential victims were mainly sought on TikTok and other online platforms. Group members held live streams during which they persuaded people to provide bank details allegedly to receive financial assistance.

To build trust they displayed forged documents and fake payment confirmations. In some cases victims were persuaded to make a “test payment” to an account controlled by the perpetrators, supposedly to verify a bank card.

Law enforcement established that the organizers coordinated the actions of accomplices, assigned them roles, controlled the movement of funds, and maintained a network of phishing websites that copied pages of well-known organizations.

After the fraudulent campaigns ended, the suspects deleted posts, accounts, and correspondence, and also blocked victims’ contacts. Among the citizens who fell victim to the scheme are servicemembers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

During the investigation, law enforcement conducted 21 sanctioned searches in Zhytomyr Oblast — in the residences of the suspects and their vehicles.

As a result, they seized computer equipment, nearly 20 mobile phones, digital storage devices, more than 50 bank cards, over 120 SIM cards and SIM slots, cash, records, and eight vehicles.

The criminal proceeding is being investigated under Part 4 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — fraud. The article’s penalty provides for up to eight years of imprisonment.

Investigative actions are ongoing. Law enforcement are determining the full circle of victims and other persons who may be involved in the scheme.

Previously, we wrote:

• Following a link from a social payment post on social media cost a Mykolaiv resident nearly 94,000 hryvnias
• A link to aid from a partner country resulted for a Mykolaiv resident in a series of withdrawals totaling 82,000 hryvnias
• In the Mykolaiv region, women were scammed out of 45,000 hryvnias under the pretext of a cyberattack and state aid
• A fake letter from the NBU can give fraudsters access to your computer
• 2.5 million hryvnias in the war of conscience: scammers raised funds under the guise of aid to the Armed Forces of Ukraine