Starting from May 13, 2025, the National Bank of Ukraine, together with the Cyber Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine and the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine, is launching a new wave of the nationwide information campaign on payment security – #ШахрайГудбай.
Its goal is to improve public awareness and remind citizens about the basic security rules when making cashless payments, especially online.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, there has been an increase in cyber fraud and cybercrime. The amount of losses from illegal actions and fraudulent transactions involving payment cards continues to rise. In 2024, compared to 2023, this figure increased by more than a third (37%), reaching a total of UAH 1.1 billion.
The most common cause of payment card fraud in Ukraine, as well as globally, traditionally remains social engineering. That is when customers voluntarily disclose personal data, payment card details, login and password to mobile or online banking, confirmation codes and passwords for executing payment transactions or for logging into a payment application.
Therefore, improving citizens’ knowledge and skills in the safe use of payment cards and online banking will enable them to use cashless payments more carefully and avoid fraudulent schemes and traps in the virtual space.
“Financial payment institutions continuously strengthen security measures to protect clients’ funds, so fraudsters increasingly focus their efforts on social engineering and more frequently deceive users into revealing sensitive data. According to data provided by payment service providers, 84% of all financial losses were caused precisely by social engineering. These cases could have been avoided if Ukrainians were better informed about the rules of safe use of payment cards and online banking. To remind citizens of these rules and to provide more information about potential fraudulent schemes and ways to counter cyber fraudsters, we are launching a new wave of the #ШахрайГудбай information campaign,” commented Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, Oleksii Shaban.
“Every fraud begins with trust – this is what scammers play on, prompting people to speak, click, and install. Their main weapon is not sophisticated technology, but carelessness, emotions, and a lack of knowledge about safe behavior in the digital environment. That is why our goal is not only to identify criminals but also to prevent offenses. The #ШахрайГудбай campaign is a joint initiative of the National Bank, Cyber Police, and the State Service of Special Communications, which will help every Ukrainian learn how to protect themselves and their loved ones from financial traps. Even a few simple actions can protect your data and funds,” noted Yurii Vykhodets, Head of the Cyber Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine.
“There is a well-known phrase that it is better to prevent a disease than to cure it. The same applies to cyberspace: it is better to learn and follow the rules of safe behavior online in advance than to suffer from cybercriminals' actions and lose important personal data or funds due to negligence or ignorance. The #ШахрайГудбай information campaign is an important educational initiative that, I am confident, will help many Ukrainians strengthen their cyber hygiene skills and raise their awareness of payment security,” emphasized Oleksandr Potii, Head of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine.
During the campaign, the National Bank, together with more than 80 partners, will focus on explaining to financial services consumers the key elements of payment security, in particular:
- how to check websites and chatbots where users enter their payment data;
- how to shop safely online;
- how to protect your financial phone number;
- how to avoid the most common fraud schemes;
- how not to become an accomplice to a crime and not fall into fraudsters’ traps while job hunting;
- how to protect your accounts;
- how to create complex and unique passwords;
- how to set up multi-factor authentication.
The information campaign will run until the end of the year in all regions of Ukraine. As part of the campaign, the National Bank and its partners will inform citizens on how to protect themselves from payment fraud. In particular, the campaign will include:
- placement of posters on billboards, city lights, public transport, and transport stops;
- broadcasting of videos on monitors in CNAPs, shopping malls, gas stations, retail establishments, bank branches, mobile operator stores, subways, train stations, Intercity trains, service centers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, and employment centers;
- distribution of posters and brochures in employment centers, free legal aid centers, and police stations;
- publication of content on social media, in media outlets, Telegram channels, and partner websites;
- participation in themed radio programs and TV stories;
- release of a social newspaper on payment security for the elderly, to be distributed in service centers of the Pension Fund of Ukraine;
- holding contests, webinars, and other educational activities for pupils, students, and educators;
- SMS and email campaigns;
- broadcasting of social video/audio content on television and radio.
All useful information will also be collected on a dedicated webpage of the #ШахрайГудбай campaign.
