A fake SBU unit swindled more than 3 million hryvnias from a Kharkiv professor
In Kharkiv, scammers posing as SBU employees swindled a professor out of more than 3.2 million hryvnias. The man handed over $69,950 and 2,410 euros to them, and the money was collected by a 34-year-old local woman who was recruited into the scheme.
In Kharkiv, scammers devised a “remote search” scheme to steal the savings of a local professor. The victim is a Doctor of Technical Sciences, a professor, and an Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine. In early September 2026, an unknown man called the professor. He identified himself as an employee of the Security Service of Ukraine and claimed that the professor had allegedly paid for goods on a Russian website.
The scammer then claimed that, because of this payment, a “remote search” would have to be conducted on the man’s premises. The conversation with the victim continued via video call. The scammer gradually convinced the professor to show him the money he had saved. The scammer then claimed that the funds needed to be temporarily handed over to verify their origin. According to his story, the money was to be checked using special equipment at the SBU office in Kyiv.
The professor believed this story and agreed to hand over his savings. As a result, he gave away $69,950 and 2,410 euros. At the National Bank of Ukraine’s official exchange rate on the day the money was handed over, this amounted to over 3.2 million hryvnias. The scam did not end there. The mastermind behind the scheme was located outside Ukraine. Therefore, he needed someone directly in Kharkiv to receive the money.
According to the investigation, he had recruited a 34-year-old local woman to participate in the scheme in advance. The woman was told the location and time of the meeting with the professor. She arrived at the meeting, collected the entire sum from the victim, and then left the scene. Law enforcement officials identified her. Under the procedural guidance of the Kyiv District Prosecutor’s Office in Kharkiv, the woman was notified of the charges against her.
She is suspected of aiding and abetting the fraudulent acquisition of another person’s property on an especially large scale, committed under martial law. This falls under Part 5 of Article 27 and Part 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Law enforcement officials are currently identifying the person who directly carried out the scheme. The investigation is also working to clarify all the circumstances of the fraud.
The prosecutor’s office emphasizes that suspicion does not yet imply proven guilt. The final decision in the case must be made by a court. This case illustrates how scammers can use the names of government agencies to gain people’s trust. They fabricate plausible pretexts, pressure the victim, and convince them to transfer money voluntarily. This information was reported by the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office on Telegram.
