Recently, there has been an active spread of counterfeit dollars in Ukraine – they are easy to purchase on the Internet, and scammers create even underground exchange points for such “currency”.
Counterfeit dollars are being widely distributed in Ukraine. They can be purchased online in minutes. Fraudsters even open “exchangers” that look similar to regular exchange offices, but in fact distribute only counterfeit currency.
OBOZ.UA writes about how the distribution scheme works and what you should know before buying a dollar.
Where they sell fake dollars
Before the existence of anonymous Telegram channels, fakes were distributed through the Darknet. To get to the store, you had to download a special browser, find out the store address, etc. Now the process of buying fakes has been simplified as much as possible. Telegram operates hundreds of Ukrainian “online stores” that massively distribute counterfeit dollars.
Payment is made to a crypto wallet. And “dollars” can be received by parcel, regular mail (if the package is properly packaged, the postal operator does not have the right to violate the integrity and check what is being delivered), or “bookmark”. A special courier in the selected area leaves the parcel in a public place, and through the seller sends the buyer a point on the map where the goods can be picked up, as well as a photo of this place.
In one of the stores that OBOZ.UA managed to find, they offer to buy 100 counterfeit dollars for 1 thousand UAH. The current rate is 10 UAH. for one fake dollar. “Amounts over $400 are discussed separately and sent only upon prepayment,” said the seller.
The scammers claim that the quality of the counterfeits is so high that it is almost impossible to distinguish them from real dollars. It seems that they can be exchanged even in some exchange offices, however, most likely, the fake will be noticed at the bank’s cash desk.
“For 2 thousand UAH I’m selling detailed instructions for selling dollars, you can buy a set with a card. It’s better to sell at exchange points, there will definitely be no problems there. Which network is better to go to, I can also send you instructions,” says the seller.
In fact, Ukrainians quite often do not exchange dollars for hryvnia. Many people simply store and accumulate them for a rainy day. Many agree to receive payment in cash dollars: for vehicles, housing, jewelry, etc.
For example, a few days ago in the Chernivtsi region, the National Police detained a group of counterfeiters who used manufactured “dollars” to buy various goods, including purchasing an ATV for 3 thousand dollars.
“During the investigation, it became known that In November 2023, the defendants purchased an ATV for counterfeit $3,000 in the city of Vorokhta,” the report says.
More often, scammers come to cities where they do not live specifically for such an agreement. They buy equipment, vehicles that are not subject to mandatory registration, and jewelry for counterfeit dollars and disappear. And the one who received these counterfeits finds out about the fraud already at the exchange point. And sometimes this happens after several months or even years.
“We have a situation in our branches when they bring counterfeit dollars, it happens all the time. In general, if it is an outright fake and the person brought it to the exchange office, then you need to contact the police. And when they talk to the client, he will no longer remember where he got these dollars from Some of them were given money by their parents, some of their friends repaid the debt in dollars, some of them sold the car before the big war and still kept those dollars,” says an interlocutor in one of the banks. According to him, counterfeit currency cannot enter a financial institution. They say that all cash desks have the most modern currency detectors, and cashiers undergo constant training.
With exchangers the situation is much more complicated. Last year, law enforcement officers discovered scammers who set up an exchange office, used someone else's name and sold counterfeit dollars to the public. That is, even if you do not take dollars from the hands of individuals, but use the services of seemingly legal exchangers, you are still at risk.
How not to buy fake dollars
You can avoid getting hooked by scammers if you use the services of official exchangers. The NBU website has a list of all financial institutions that have the right to engage in exchange. There you can see the address of the exchanger. Therefore, before using the services, pay attention to whether this exchanger operates legally at this address. Also make sure that the same legal name is indicated in the registry and in the documents of the exchanger (the license is placed in an accessible place). Only after making sure that the exchanger operates legally can you use its services. It is also important to keep receipts.
The risk is also minimized if you use the services of banks. A bank's cash desk may offer a less attractive rate, but this financial institution has a more developed infrastructure. There are no cases where fraudsters opened fake bank branches to sell counterfeit dollars. It is important to note that if you plan to buy a relatively large number of dollars at the cash register, it is better to order it by phone in advance.
“Usually you need to order at least a day in advance. If the amount is more than 400 thousand UAH in equivalent, you will need to confirm the source of income for such an exchange. Complaints mainly concern the condition and year of issue of banknotes. However, at the bank’s cash desk you will not buy either a counterfeit or a banknote, which does not meet the requirements of the central bank,” says one of the banks.
It is better to refuse to take dollars from individuals. If you want to sell something, you must understand that by agreeing to a dollar transaction, you are taking on risks. In addition, it will be more difficult for you to use the currency you receive in your hands. If the money came into your bank account as a result of a legal purchase and sale transaction, you can always withdraw it at the bank’s cash desk, exchange it for dollars, and take it abroad without any problems by showing the necessary documents to customs.
Verify the authenticity of the bill yourself. impossible. Signs that can be noticed without special tools, counterfeiters have learned to fake well. Therefore, without a currency detector, it is impossible to figure out where the real bill is and where it is not. Even at bank cash desks they sometimes doubt which banknote they are dealing with. They send some dollars for a special examination. And if it turns out that this is a fake, the money will not be returned to the owner of such banknotes.
Recall that in the Kyiv region, members of an organized criminal group were tried for forging diplomas and documents to allow evaders to travel abroad. Cyber police established that a “business” was organized by a Kiev resident who had been repeatedly convicted of forgery of documents and his partner. And then they involved several more residents of the Kiev region in illegal actions.