A new wave of cyber fraud related to utility payments has been recorded in Ukraine. Citizens are being sent fake electricity bills to their e-mails and messengers, allegedly on behalf of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine.
The Center for Countering Disinformation warned about the scheme . In the messages, the fraudsters try to convince consumers to quickly click on the link and pay the alleged debt.
“The Ministry of Energy of Ukraine emphasizes that the agency has never sent and does not send any payment letters to consumers,” the message says.
The Center for Countering Disinformation noted that electricity supply and billing are carried out exclusively by specific energy companies. The Ministry of Energy of Ukraine is not involved in the collection of utility bills, and payments are made only with enterprises with which consumers have concluded individual contracts.
Clicking on suspicious links can lead to theft of personal data, hacking of pages on social networks, or loss of access to bank accounts. Previously, the National Bank of Ukraine also warned about a phishing campaign with letters with malicious attachments and fake signatures on behalf of its employees.
Citizens are advised to check payment details, not to click on dubious links, and to pay for utility services only through the official channels of their energy companies.
