In the Lviv region, scammers have defrauded at least 80 men through dating websites

A fraudulent call center organized by three local residents aged 21 and 23 was uncovered in Stryi. 

They posed as women on dating sites and swindled money from Ukrainians and foreigners.

 According to the investigation, the perpetrators gained the men’s trust and sent them malicious files disguised as photos. They then convinced the victims to enable screen sharing on their smartphones, which allowed them to obtain passwords and gain access to online banking.

The scammers rented two apartments in Stryi for their operations. They used special software for remote access to devices, as well as a neural network that altered a man’s voice to sound like a woman’s. The stolen funds were transferred to accounts under their control.

Preliminary estimates indicate that at least 80 men fell victim to the scheme: 50 Ukrainians and 30 foreigners, including citizens of Poland, Germany, and Georgia.

During the searches, law enforcement officers seized computers, phones, bank cards, and cash in various currencies totaling approximately 2 million hryvnias.

Three suspects were notified of charges related to forming a fraudulent organized group, fraud, and unauthorized interference with information systems.

Law enforcement officers detained a military officer suspected of working for the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). According to the case file, the man was collecting data on defense and critical infrastructure facilities to coordinate massive strikes on Kyiv on September 21–24.

Earlier, a Russian spy network was uncovered in the Kharkiv region, and four members were taken into custody.

Previously, a female officer of the General Staff was detained for accepting a bribe of 14,000 dollars.

In the Chernihiv region, a detained deserter attempted to offer a bribe of 40,000 hryvnias.