Ukraine has introduced criminal liability for the establishment and operation of fraudulent call centers. The corresponding bill was signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, who announced it on his Telegram channel, as reported by RBC-Ukraine and a number of other media outlets. According to the head of state, parliament supported the initiative aimed at combating one of the most widespread and socially dangerous forms of cybercrime, which deprives Ukrainians of significant sums of money every year.
Harsh punishment — the president's key position
Commenting on the signing of the document, Zelensky emphasized that liability for the activities of illegal call centers must be "harsh." "It is important that criminal liability for fraudulent call centers has been supported. The liability must be harsh. I signed only this law," the president stated. Thus, the state is moving from predominantly administrative and civil responses to telephone fraud to full-fledged criminal sanctions for the organizers and participants of such schemes.
Budgetary initiatives and international commitments
In addition to the anti-fraud law, parliament supported a package of legislative initiatives which, according to Zelensky, are part of Ukraine's international commitments and will help attract additional funding to the state budget. The president noted that the budget deficit remains substantial, and every decision aimed at covering it "truly helps the sustainability of Ukraine and its defense." This links the anti-corruption and anti-fraud reforms with the broader economic context and the requirements of international partners.
Evolution of fraud schemes and new technological threats
Experts note that criminals constantly refine their methods of stealing money from citizens' accounts, so legal measures must go hand in hand with technological ones. Financial institutions are recording new vectors of threats: in particular, PrivatBank previously explained the NFC Relay scheme, in which fraudsters remotely withdraw cash from ATMs using NFC technology and the victim's smartphone. This shows that the fight against call centers is just one element of comprehensive protection, which also includes countering technical theft schemes.
What victims should do after an unauthorized debit
Against the backdrop of tougher liability for fraudsters, it is equally important to understand citizens' rights. Experts explain in which cases a bank is obliged to return stolen funds and what steps must be taken immediately after detecting an unauthorized debit: block the card immediately, record the fact of contacting the bank, and report to the law enforcement agencies. Timely action increases the chances of recovering the funds and assists the investigation.
The signing of the law on criminal liability for fraudulent call centers is a clear signal that Ukraine intends to systematically combat telephone and digital fraud, combining legal, budgetary, and technological tools to protect citizens and the state budget.
