In the capital, a court hearing is ongoing in the case of a young man accused of interfering with the electronic queue system at the Ministry of Internal Affairs service centers and illegally selling tickets
This is one of the vivid examples of cyber fraud that occurred in a European country and has already caused significant public concern. According to law enforcement authorities, a 27-year-old resident of Kyiv region, who operates online under a pseudonym, created his own program to intercept user sessions and forge electronic queues. Using a Telegram bot, he sought out clients eager to quickly obtain an appointment at the MIA service centers, bypassing long lines and bureaucratic procedures. According to investigators, the suspect offered a "private rental" of tickets, with prices starting from 1000 hryvnias per appointment. Through his scheme, he could generate about 50 applications daily, minimizing clients' waiting times and thereby undermining the legitimate system of public services. Payments were made to bank cards, and the money was transferred in a way that made it difficult to trace the criminal’s activity. The operation to uncover the scheme took place in November 2024, involving police officers, cyber police, internal security, and representatives of the Main Service Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. After his arrest, a criminal case was opened against the man under Part 5 of Article 361 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — unauthorized interference with information systems during a special wartime period, which entails serious criminal penalties. Currently, the charges have been forwarded to court, and the suspect faces up to 15 years of imprisonment with possible restrictions on holding certain positions for up to three years. This is not the first case in 2024 where Ukrainian law enforcement has fought against cybercriminals and offenders attempting to use technology for fraud. In August, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) detained an 18-year-old hacker who was preparing large-scale cyberattacks on Ukrainian government websites and possibly on the country’s infrastructure. These events once again highlight the growing importance of digital security and the need for strengthened measures against cybercriminals during wartime. It is expected that the court proceedings in this case will once again draw attention to the issue of cybersecurity in Ukraine and demonstrate the state's serious attitude towards combating cyber fraud and violations of laws in the digital sphere.