In Kirovohrad region, law enforcement uncovered a fraud scheme, the victims of which were relatives of missing servicemen. 

It was established that the women found personal data of the soldiers and contacts of their relatives in the public domain on the Internet. During phone calls, the suspects posed as employees of financial departments of military units or state institutions.

Exploiting the vulnerable emotional state of the victims, they informed them about allegedly accrued additional state payments. To "receive" the funds, the women convinced them to increase credit limits on their bank cards and transfer their savings to "reserve accounts" controlled by the suspects.

The money obtained was cashed out at ATMs in Novomyrhorod and other settlements in Kirovohrad region and spent on personal needs, housing rent, and the purchase of mobile phones and SIM cards.

As part of the pre-trial investigation, several episodes of fraud against residents of Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv, and other regions of Ukraine have been documented. The total amount of damages inflicted on the victims is about one million hryvnias.

Under the procedural guidance of the Kirovohrad Regional Prosecutor's Office, the accomplices have been notified of suspicion under Part 2 and Part 4 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — fraud committed repeatedly, in large amounts, and by a group of persons in collusion. The sanctions of the articles provide for punishment in the form of imprisonment for up to eight years.

The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the Investigative Department of the National Police in Kirovohrad region.

Note: according to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a court verdict.