The mobile operator Kyivstar has developed and implemented a new service to counter cyber fraud “Protection of alphanumeric names.”
This service is intended for business clients – with its help SMS messages are monitored and blocked from phishing resources, the operator said in a message on Monday.
An alphanumeric name is an alphabetic or digital signature that appears on the SMS sender line. The operator emphasizes that the service will be useful to all companies and institutions that use SMS in their work: banks, postal operators, retail, service providers, etc.
“Most often, phishing SMS are sent using commercial names and brands of companies well-known in the market. Therefore, in a number of messages from similar alpha names, subscribers may not notice the difference and automatically provide fraudsters with information about themselves or their bank account,” Kyivstar Chief Marketing Officer Pavlo Daniman said.
Kyivstar notes that when sending SMS to Kyivstar subscribers, the operator will continuously monitor and control the use of alphanumeric names or their variations only by a partner, and not by a third party. SMS delivery to Kyivstar subscribers, which uses original and visually similar alphanumeric partner names, which come from persons not authorized for such mailings, will be automatically blocked.
According to the operator, there are no analogues of this service in Ukraine.
As reported, according to the NBU, the number of fraudulent transactions with payment cards recorded by banks in January-June 2020 increased to 47,500, which is 1.4 times more than in the same period a year earlier.
The Belarusian side has limited the admission of foreign citizens to its territory since October 29, arguing such actions by the need for additional measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection, in connection with it there is a decrease in the number of travelers at checkpoints wishing to enter the territory of Belarus, the press service of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine has reported.
“Compared to last weekend, the passenger traffic has decreased by an average of 15%. Such situation is observed even at checkpoints, where traffic is usually heavy. Namely, in Novi Yarylovychi (Chernihiv region), Vystupovychi (Zhytomyr region) and Domanove (Volyn region),” a statement, released on Monday by the press service of the border department, said.
Now, at the checkpoints to exit Ukraine, the border is mainly crossed by participants in international road transport.
On average, Ukrainian border guards during the day register more than 1,700 people and about 1,000 vehicles at the Novi Yarylovychi checkpoint, about 300 people and almost 180 vehicles at the Vystupovychi checkpoint, and more than 600 people and nearly 100 vehicles at the Domanove checkpoint. There are no trucks and cars queues.
“We add that during the past weekend, the Belarusian side did not let in and returned to the territory of Ukraine 20 citizens of Ukraine and two foreigners,” the press service said.
The State Property Fund of Ukraine (SPF) put 10 distilleries up for an online auction on the Prozorro.Sale platform in November.
According to the post of Head of the State Property Fund Dmytro Sennychenko on Facebook on Monday, the initial sale prices for lots are from UAH 8 million to UAH 54 million.
“In October, in just half a month, we have got an excellent takeoff. Six objects of the state-owned enterprise Ukrspyrt have already found new owners at privatization auctions and brought more than UAH 268 million to the state budget. The price that is formed by the market and which sometimes swells two or three times, this is the main characteristic that now unites alcohol privatization,” he wrote.
As reported, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on December 11, 2019 signed a law on abolishing the state monopoly on alcohol production from July 1, 2020, adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on December 3, 2019.
The debut auction for the privatization of the first object of the state-owned enterprise Ukrspyrt Nemyriv distillery (Vinnytsia region) was held on October 15. The plant was sold to LVN Limited LLC, shareholders of Nemiroff, for UAH 55.08 million, which is UAH 5 million higher than the starting price. The winning company was the only one to apply to participate in the auction.
On the whole, starting from October 15, six Ukrspyrt’s plants have been successfully privatized at online auctions. Two auctions did not take place. As for distilleries, they will be put up for re-bidding with a reduction in the starting price.
The SPF expects to attract about UAH 2 billion from the privatization of distilleries of the state-owned enterprise Ukrspyrt and the concern Ukrspyrt.
The net profit of OTP Bank (Kyiv) amounted to UAH 1.51 million in January-September 2020, which is 21.9% less than in the same period in 2019 (UAH 1.94 billion).
According to the financial reports posted on the bank’s website, its net profit increased by 28.6% to UAH 924.34 million for the third quarter of 2020, compared to the corresponding indicator a year earlier.
The net interest income of OTP Bank decreased by 1.5% (to UAH 2.63 billion) in nine months, while net commission income by 10.2% (to UAH 863.6 million).
The bank’s assets increased by 24% to UAH 55.51 billion in January-September, including funds kept in banks by 68.8% (to UAH 13.82 billion), and loans issued to customers by UAH 147 million (up to UAH 25.46 billion).
The bank’s liabilities for the corresponding period increased by 18.4% to UAH 46.19 billion, in particular, customer accounts by 26.1% to UAH 44.75 billion.
According to the financial reports, OTP Bank’s equity capital increased by 19.8% to UAH 9.32 billion in nine months, and the charter capital remained at the level of UAH 6.186 billion.
OTP Bank is the flagship unit of the OTP banking group, registered by the NBU, which also includes AMC OTP Capital LLC and OTP Leasing LLC.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine, as of September 1, 2020, OTP Bank was ranked 10th among 75 banks operating in the country in terms of total assets
At the end of the fourth five-year period, the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) will revise anti-dumping restrictions on the supply of Certain Cut-to-length Carbon Steel Plate to the American market from Ukraine, Russia and China.
According to the USITC report in the Federal Register bulletin, the start of the review is set for November 2, the deadline for responses from participants in the review procedure is December 2, 2020.
During the revision procedure, USITC will determine the possibility of abolishing anti-dumping duties on these products from China, as well as ending the suspension of the investigation on this type of rental from the Russian Federation and Ukraine – to what extent this may lead to the continuation or renewal of damage to local manufacturers of these products in the United States.
JSC Ukrposhta, in partnership with Antonov Airlines and Windrose Airlines, sent the first An-124 Ruslan aircraft to New York with 125,000 parcels of Ukrainian small and medium-sized businesses (UAH 140 million in monetary terms).
In the coming months the company, in partnership with Windrose Airlines, will weekly send aircraft of various configurations in accordance with the needs of Ukrainian exporters. The program should ensure uninterrupted delivery of export shipments to the United States during closed borders and canceled flights, the press service of Ukrposhta reported on Monday morning.
“The new charter program with regular flights will allow us to ensure reliable delivery of 75-80% of export shipments to the United States. And together with passenger airlines, we provide 100%. For now, I can state that we are fully prepared for the high season, so this year I especially want to please our clients with timely New Year gifts delivered,” the press service of Ukrposhta quoted its director general Ihor Smelyansky as saying.
