Employees of the Cyberpolice Department of the National Police of Ukraine prevented the theft of more than $720,000 from the account of a medical company, the press service of the cyberpolice said on Thursday.
“The defendants forged payment orders and tried to take possession of the money intended for the purchase of medical equipment for examining patients with COVID-19. Criminal proceedings were initiated on the fact of fraud,” the statement said.
It notes that a medical company contacted the Cyber Police Department and reported a fraudulent seizure of money intended for the purchase of medical equipment for examining patients with COVID-19.
“Law enforcers found that the attackers sent the phishing link to the partners of the victim company. Using phishing, offenders obtained login information to their email account. Then they forged a payment order, which was sent from a broken email box of partners from the People’s Republic of China. Therefore, the Ukrainian medical company transferred the money to the scammers’ account opened in the UK. Thus, the defendants tried to embezzle more than $723,000,” the law enforcement officers said.
They clarify that the cyber police officers, together with Kyiv police investigators and British colleagues, managed to block the money stolen from the company’s account.
“On this fact, criminal proceedings have been initiated under Part 3 of Article 190 (Fraud) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Attackers can face up to eight years in prison. Investigative actions continue,” the police said.
