A woman from the Ternopil region lost 6,000 hryvnias whilst buying firewood

A 36-year-old resident of the Chortkiv district in the Ternopil region approached Police Station No. 3 after falling victim to yet another online scam. Whilst attempting to purchase solid fuel for the autumn and winter months via social media, the woman lost 6,000 hryvnias, reports the newspaper *Misto*.

Law enforcement officers established that the victim had found an advert for firewood for sale on Facebook. After discussing the terms of the deal and delivery with the fake seller, she made two money transfers to the specified bank accounts. Immediately after receiving the funds, the stranger cut off all contact, and the buyer never received the firewood she had ordered.

The course of the investigation and the classification of the offence

Law enforcement agencies are currently carrying out operational and investigative measures to identify the perpetrator and the accounts to which the victim’s funds were transferred.

Following the unlawful acts, a decision is being made on whether to enter the details into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations under Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (fraud).

Police warnings and advice on safe online shopping

Due to the rise in demand for seasonal fuel, police in the Ternopil region are urging members of the public to exercise the utmost caution when making purchases via private adverts on social media and messaging apps.

To ensure you can order goods safely, the police advise following these basic rules:

• Check the seller thoroughly: look at reviews, how long the page has been active, and whether they provide official contact details or a physical address.
• Avoid full prepayment at all costs: do not transfer funds to strangers’ personal bank cards until you have received the goods.
• Choose cash on delivery: give preference to payment only after physically inspecting and verifying the availability of timber or other goods.

If you have any suspicions, or if you have already fallen victim to fraud, you should contact the police helpline on ‘102’ immediately.

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