Several criminal offences linked to electronic banking fraud have been reported to the police in recent weeks.

Fraudsters mostly pose as companies, with names such as Lesprom, Dia-group, Contici-travel and similar, e-mailing their offers for sham deals to random persons. All those interested are then sent contracts to be signed, from which it is evident that their current accounts will be credited with amounts to be transferred to further accounts, mostly via Western Union and Moneygram payment systems. Payment promised for these transactions is either a percentage of individual transactions or a monthly payment. The accounts to which the amounts are to be remitted are mostly in the Ukraine and Russia, where the perpetrators are impossible to track down.

Money credited to current accounts in such cases originates from crime. We therefore call on all those who have been contacted by sham companies NOT TO RESPOND to such advertisements and attempts at unlawful deals.

Those who do respond enable fraudsters to carry through their criminal offences of grand theft and information system attacks, which would, in turn, make them criminally liable. Action will be taken by the police, and charges will be brought against all persons who have received such payments.

Advice to all current account holders using electronic banking services:

  • Get all the information you need on the conditions and use of banking services from your bank.
  • Be on your guard for any suspicious e-mails.
  • Visit trusted websites only.
  • Always thoroughly check the web page you use when logging in to the electronic banking system and follow your bank's instructions.
  • Make sure your computer is adequately protected with quality anti-virus programs and firewalls.
  • Never install illegally obtained software on computers you use for electronic banking services, since they mostly contain Trojan horses and other malicious software designed to collect information, steal digital certificates, intercept passwords and similar.

What should you do if you come across a suspicious, forwarded transfer of money? You are advised, first of all, to ask the police to check the PC you use for your electronic banking.  Asking a non-expert to have a look at it first might do more harm than good. Key information, of vital importance for the police in their search for the fraudsters, might get deleted in the process.