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According to the results of 2025, about 80% of online fraud cases involve “customer manipulation” schemes, and only up to 20% involve “old” schemes of unauthorized access to accounts (for example, hacking or physical theft of cards). Interference with “customer awareness” makes it much more difficult to detect fraud, as traditional security systems are powerless: from a technical point of view, the transaction is confirmed by the legitimate account holder.

This was reported by Anna Dovgalska, Deputy Chair of the Board of GLOBUS BANK.

Citing data from the National Bank of Ukraine, the banker noted that the number of non-cash fraudulent transactions in Ukraine in 2025 increased by an average of 12-18% and reached about 310-340 thousand incidents, with total losses amounting to UAH 1.4-1.6 billion.

"Card hacking is now significantly inferior to ‘mind hacking’. It can be said that the technical development of banking security systems has forced thieves to also look for new forms of fraud. The ‘battle for the mind’ continues, as fraud has become a systematic, professional, and global business with its own ‘infrastructure’ (e.g., call centers). Now, fraud involving authorized payments has come to the fore, where citizens are tricked into sending money themselves. Today's fraud is a breach of human trust," the expert emphasized.

She described in detail the new most dangerous fraud schemes that appeared in 2025.

Investment fraud, “broker thieves.”

Such schemes involve “playing the long game,” and in this game, the future victim of fraud is convinced that they are investing in legal stocks or cryptocurrency. These schemes involve the creation of highly professional web platforms that imitate real brokers with real stock exchange quotes. The client sees “profits” in a fictitious account and continues to deposit funds. The psychological pressure only begins when the client attempts to withdraw funds: the fraudsters pressure the client, demanding payment of a “commission” for verification. In such schemes, the citizen does not feel any danger until the last moment and ultimately loses all the funds invested.

Fraud using AI tools.

First and foremost, these are voice and deepfake attacks, where the voice of a loved one is cloned or, for example, video calls with a “mask” of a familiar (relative) face. In addition, automated chatbots speak the “language of the client” with a high degree of personalization. The greatest danger is posed by short voice messages in messengers asking for a loan “by the evening.”

Fraudulent call centers.

These are large-scale organizations with their own professional standards of work, existing HR structures, training programs, and KPIs. Dozens of operators work according to clear scripts, for example, introducing themselves as the “security service” of a particular bank to “investment consultants.” Such call centers turn crime into a professional industry of psychological violence.
In addition, there is a significant spread of “quishing” (QR code forgery) and “fake bank representatives” who come in person to collect cash.

“Call centers are currently a fairly common phenomenon in Ukraine. Very often, young people (mainly students) who need a job and dream of career growth fall for such ”employers." They are promised career growth and stable work, invited to interviews, forced to sign non-disclosure agreements, and effectively taken into the clutches of fraudulent companies. The difficulty lies in the fact that the victims here are not only the “targets of fraud,” but also the ‘employees’ themselves, who are forced to work for thieves," explained Anna Dovgalska.

The banker also focused on how clients can protect themselves from automatic payment card blocking.

According to her, modern anti-fraud systems (software and hardware tools for combating fraud that analyze financial and other online transactions in real time to detect, prevent, and block suspicious activity, protecting customer funds from unauthorized access and malicious actors) involve the combined use of statistics and machine learning. She claims that the share of cards subject to temporary restrictions averages 1-3% of the total number of active users.
Anna Dovgalska explained that cards are blocked in several cases and that this may well be done to protect the customer.

First, “technical markers” (often referred to as “trigger words”) may be triggered, for example, if the payment purpose is incorrectly specified. She emphasized that it is very important for the customer to clearly indicate what they are paying for.

“If you are making a payment online, you should not invent anything unusual in the payment purpose: the standard phrase ‘payment for goods/services’ is a safeguard against possible card blocking,” she explained.

Secondly, the card may be blocked if “behavioral anomalies” are observed. For example, very frequent transfers within a short period of time, or sudden “activity” of the card after a long pause.

Thirdly, even the absence of a Bluetooth signal from a trusted device (watch/headphones) when registering a card on a new smartphone can cause the card to be blocked.

Anna Dovgalska explained what customers should do if their card is restricted and temporarily blocked.
First of all, she says, it is important to remain calm, as the block can act as a “protective shield” to prevent fraudsters from quickly using the card.

"You should call the bank at the number on the back of the card or verify your identity in the banking app on your smartphone. But under no circumstances should you call an unknown number from which you received a call supposedly from a bank employee. In direct communication with a bank employee, the reason for blocking the card will become clear," warns Anna Dovgalska.

How to improve protection against fraudsters in 2026.

To significantly improve security, the banker recommends changing the approach to basic security elements.
It is worth abandoning SMS codes in favor of push notifications and biometrics, as well as linking the customer profile to specific devices.
It is advisable to keep your main funds in a separate account (“safe”) and use a virtual card with a zero credit limit for purchases.
It is also worth setting up a cloud password in messengers with a mandatory ban on adding third parties to unknown groups and chats.
It is worth adhering to the “stop rule”: do not respond to calls, for example, “from the tax office” or “the Security Service of Ukraine,” during which the caller demands that you make a transfer to a secure account.

The best protection for a customer is personal vigilance multiplied by awareness. You can improve your knowledge of cybersecurity on the “Dія. Освіта” portal (“Cyber Hygiene for Citizens,” “Secure Online Payments,” “Personal Data Protection,” etc.) and on the official websites of the NBU and the Cyber Police of Ukraine.

“2025 was a turning point in the confrontation between banking security systems and organized cybercrime. It was in this year that we finally moved from the era of technical hacks to the era of the ‘battle for the customer’s mind’. But critical thinking and financial awareness among customers remain the key battleground in this struggle," concluded Anna Dovgalska.

JOINT STOCK COMPANY “COMMERCIAL BANK ”GLOBUS" (GLOBUS BANK) was founded in 2007.

As of January 2026, the regional network has 34 branches, including 29 that are part of the Power Banking network, which allows them to operate in the absence of electricity.

GLOBUS BANK has been confirmed as having the highest credit rating on the national scale at uaAAA, as well as a deposit rating of ua2+ on the scale of the rating agency Expert-Rating.

The bank's priority areas of activity are lending to energy-efficient projects, mortgage lending in the primary market, car loans, and lending to small and medium-sized businesses.
GLOBUS BANK is an accredited partner of a number of state programs: the state mortgage program “eOselya,” the preferential lending program for small and medium-sized businesses “5-7-9,” “Affordable Factoring,” “Affordable Financial Leasing 5-7-9,” and Energy Independence for Individuals - Household Owners.

The bank is a partner of the State Agency “Energy Efficiency Fund” in the Energodim and GreenDim lending programs for condominiums and housing cooperatives.

The bank participates in the National Cashback state program.
On June 25, 2024, GLOBUS BANK became one of 17 major Ukrainian banks that signed a memorandum on lending for energy infrastructure restoration projects.

Serhiy Mamedov, Chairman of the Board of GLOBUS BANK, is Vice President of the Confederation of Builders of Ukraine and Vice President of the Association of Ukrainian Banks.