They charged buyers twice: two people from Mykolaiv region defrauded customers of more than UAH 1.7 million
Residents of Voznesensk District Notified of Fraud Suspicions in Absentia
Two residents of Voznesensk District—a 31-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman—allegedly scammed nearly 100 buyers from across Ukraine, according to police. They made over UAH 1.7 million from ads for equipment before fleeing abroad. Investigators notified them of the charges in absentia.
According to the pre-trial investigation, the man and woman conspired to devise a scheme to enrich themselves illegally. They found genuine ads online, copied product photos, and reposted them using specially created accounts on various marketplaces. They passed off other people’s equipment as their own.
The ads used photos of:
- backup generators;
- motorcycles;
- mopeds;
- walk-behind tractors;
- car compressors.
When a buyer showed interest, the conversation was moved from the listings platform to a messaging app. There, the buyer received photos of the chosen item and an image of what appeared to be the purchase already packed. This created the impression that the equipment was in stock and being prepared for shipment, after which the scammers demanded full payment.
After receiving the money, the sellers claimed there had supposedly been a technical error with the payment. They persuaded buyers to make the payment again, so the victims transferred the money a second time. The man and woman split the proceeds of the fraud and spent them as they pleased.
To conceal their activities, the suspects:
- used different mobile carrier numbers;
- introduced themselves to buyers using fake names or aliases;
- recruited people unaware of the criminal activity to let them use their bank card accounts.
The illegal activity was uncovered with the involvement of:
- investigators from the Voznesensk District Police Department, who conducted the pre-trial investigation;
- officers from the Cybercrime Prevention Unit in Mykolaiv Region of the Cyber Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine, who provided operational support;
- the Voznesensk District Prosecutor’s Office, which oversaw the proceedings.
Police say the man and woman fled abroad in advance, knowing their activities might be uncovered. Law enforcement officers conducted authorized searches at their homes and seized evidence. Police have so far established the suspects’ involvement in 96 fraud cases.
Under the procedural guidance of the Voznesensk District Prosecutor’s Office, investigators notified both suspects of the charges in absentia under Part 4 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The charges concern repeated fraud committed by a group acting in collusion, involving the illegal use of computer equipment. The article carries a penalty of up to 8 years in prison.
The authorities are still considering whether to place the suspects on an international wanted list so they can be detained and subsequently extradited. Police are also establishing whether they were involved in similar crimes elsewhere in Ukraine. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.
Source: Mykolaiv Region Police.
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