{"id":625353,"date":"2026-10-12T23:24:42","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T20:24:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/korabelov.info\/2026\/10\/625353\/an-individual-entrepreneur-s-account-in-a-fraud-scheme-mykolaiv-region-resident-loses-nearly-200-000\/"},"modified":"2026-10-12T23:53:25","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T20:53:25","slug":"an-individual-entrepreneur-s-account-in-a-fraud-scheme-mykolaiv-region-resident-loses-nearly-200-000","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/korabelov.info\/en\/2026\/10\/625353\/an-individual-entrepreneur-s-account-in-a-fraud-scheme-mykolaiv-region-resident-loses-nearly-200-000\/","title":{"rendered":"An Individual Entrepreneur\u2019s Account in a Fraud Scheme: Mykolaiv Region Resident Loses Nearly 200,000"},"content":{"rendered":"

A purchase through a popular online marketplace cost a resident of Mykolaiv Oblast<\/strong> about 200,000 hryvnias<\/strong>. In September 2026<\/strong>, the man paid a deposit into an individual entrepreneur\u2019s account. The account holder had given third parties access to his banking details. The buyer never received the goods he had paid for. According to stopfraud.gov.ua<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The man chose a listing with an attractive price. The seller agreed to the deal only if the buyer paid in full in advance, and suggested transferring the money to an individual entrepreneur\u2019s account (FOP<\/strong>). The buyer complied, but the goods were never sent, and the correspondence with the seller was later deleted.<\/p>\n

It later emerged that the account holder had received payment for handing over his personal information and access to banking apps to other people. That account was used in the fraud scheme.<\/p>\n

Such intermediaries are known as \u201cdrops\u201d or \u201cmoney mules.\u201d In exchange for payment, they give third parties their bank cards, account details, or access to online banking. Another arrangement is to receive transfers and forward the money, keeping a small percentage.<\/p>\n

The account holder risks more than losing access to banking services. Banks monitor suspicious transactions and may restrict services for accounts involved in such schemes. If there are grounds and evidence that a person knowingly participated in a criminal scheme, they may face criminal charges and even imprisonment.<\/p>\n

Scammers actively recruit intermediaries on social media, Telegram<\/strong> channels, gaming communities, and job-search groups. Offers of easy money with no experience or special skills are particularly appealing to potential recruits.<\/p>\n

Recruited individuals often believe they are doing ordinary financial work. In reality, their accounts may be used to transfer funds obtained through fraud, stolen from members of the public, or linked to other illegal activities.<\/p>\n

Cybersecurity experts recommend following these rules to avoid becoming involved in fraudulent operations:<\/p>\n