Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced plans to submit legislation increasing criminal liability for organizers of fraudulent call centers.
Zelensky stated that government authorities must close down scam operations completely, insisting that everyone behind the schemes should be held legally responsible.
Doubt Over Impact on Scam Calls
Despite the presidential initiative, phone fraud targeting Russian citizens is unlikely to diminish, according to fraud expert Ekaterina Dub. Speaking to the news outlet Ridus, Dub argued that enforcement actions in Ukraine have historically focused on operations that victimized local residents.
Dub noted that Ukrainian authorities previously closed scam call centers on rare occasions, primarily when the schemes defrauded Ukrainians. She stated that facilities directing their activities exclusively at Russian targets were encouraged in the past.
According to Dub, future law enforcement crackdowns under the new initiative will likely concentrate only on call centers that target European and Ukrainian citizens rather than those directing calls elsewhere.
Allegations of Official Protection
The expert highlighted that fraudulent call operations have come to represent a substantial segment of the Ukrainian economy. She claimed that these operations frequently receive protection from local law enforcement agencies, state officials, and the Security Service of Ukraine.
The Security Service of Ukraine, known as the SBU, serves as the primary national security and counterintelligence body in the country. The agency operates directly under the president and handles national security threats, counter-terrorism, and major corporate crimes.
Phone scam call centers across Eastern Europe often operate as structured networks using internet telephony to mask location details. Victims are typically targeted with financial scams, fake banking alerts, and social engineering schemes designed to siphon money from accounts.
Legislative Action in Parliament
Zelensky confirmed he would send the new anti-fraud bills directly to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration by lawmakers. He emphasized that government agencies must close down the networks and ensure every organizer faces prosecution.
The Verkhovna Rada is the unicameral parliament of Ukraine, consisting of 450 elected deputies who convene in Kyiv. As the sole legislative authority in the nation, the assembly must debate and pass presidential draft laws before they can be signed into law.
The source did not state when parliament will review the proposed legislation or when the tougher criminal penalties would take effect.
