By 2026, financial fraud will become increasingly sophisticated, faster, and more personalized. Fraudsters are less likely to act “at random” and more often tailor their schemes to a specific person: their purchases, use of banking services, social media activity, listings on marketplaces, or even their social circle.
This was reported by Anna Dovgalskaya, Deputy Chair of the Board at GLOBUS BANK.
According to her, the main danger of modern fraud lies not only in the technical tools and methods used but also in the fact that scammers are increasingly forcing customers to “share” their own payment card details, even providing transaction confirmation codes.
“The new reality is that most fraudulent schemes are based on skillful manipulation of the mind. Through stress, haste, or even promises of some unheard-of benefit. Essentially, the attackers “disarm” the victim by playing on their fears and weaknesses. And it is precisely this skillful “manipulation” that blocks critical thinking, leading to emotional decision-making. “People don’t even realize that they themselves provided, for example, a code from an SMS, clicked on a suspicious link, entered their card details on a fake website, or transferred money to someone they supposedly know,” the banker noted.
She noted that, according to official data from the National Bank of Ukraine, the number of illegal activities and fraudulent transactions involving payment cards decreased by 5% in 2025—to 256,000 transactions. At the same time, the total amount of losses rose by nearly a quarter—24%—to 1.4 billion hryvnia.
According to the expert, another key indicator for analyzing the level of card-related crimes is the average amount of a single illegal transaction. In 2025, it increased by 30% and averaged 5,500 UAH, compared to 4,200 UAH in 2024.
“The decrease in the number of cases should not be misleading. On the contrary: statistics show that fraud is becoming ‘more expensive’ for victims. Whereas previously some schemes were mass-market and less targeted, now fraudsters are preparing their schemes more and more carefully, selecting the perfect moment when their scheme will work and psychologically pressuring the victim,” the expert explained.
What has changed in fraudsters’ behavior in the first half of 2026
According to Anna Dovgalskaya, the key trend in the first half of 2026 was that card fraudsters were increasingly building their schemes not only around attempts to obtain card data but also around psychological pressure on the customer.
According to her, customers should be especially wary of messages regarding “card blocking,” “suspicious transactions,” “social assistance,” “compensation,” “new payments,” or “urgent data verification.” Such messages often contain links to fake pages that can mimic the websites of banks, government services, marketplaces, delivery services, and more.
She advises paying special attention to online buying and selling. Scammers often convince the seller to click a link “to receive payment” or the buyer to click one “to confirm delivery.” In reality, these extra “steps” are nothing more than attempts to collect card details, passwords, or verification codes.
“Customers should always remember a simple rule: a bank never asks for a PIN, CVV code, online banking password, or an SMS code. If during a conversation you are rushed, threatened with account freezing, or pressured to confirm something immediately—this is the first sign that you are being targeted for fraud,” emphasized Anna Dovhalska.
The Most Common Scams of 2026: How They Work
One of the most prevalent scams involves calls purportedly from a bank’s security department. The victim is told about a “suspicious transaction,” an “attempt to withdraw funds,” or the “urgent need to secure their account.” Next, the scammers try to obtain the card details, a verification code, or force the customer to transfer money to a “secure account” on their own.
The second common scam is phishing. The customer receives a message with a link to a fake website that looks very similar to the official site of a bank, government agency, marketplace, or delivery service. After entering their card details, username, password, or one-time code, this information falls into the hands of the scammers.
Anna Dovhalska recalled the most recent high-profile case: in early June, citizens received a massive number of fake electricity bills via email and messaging apps, purportedly sent on behalf of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine.
The third type involves fake “payments” and “compensation.” Users are offered assistance, social benefits, refunds, or bonuses. But to receive them, they are told to click a link and “verify their card.” In reality, the goal is singular: to gain access to financial data.
The fourth category of scams involves social media and messaging apps. Scammers hack into the accounts of people you know and send urgent requests to transfer money. These messages often appear genuine because they come from a real person in your contact list.
There is also a risk of SIM swapping—the interception or reissuance of a financial phone number. This is particularly dangerous if mobile banking, email, or other financial services are linked to the number.
Fraud Prevention Guide: How to Avoid Being Scammed
A call “from the bank.”
Hang up and call the bank’s official contact center yourself using the number listed on the bank’s website or on the back of your card.
“Card blocked” message.
Never disclose your CVV, PIN, SMS codes, passwords, or usernames. Check your card’s status or whether it’s blocked only through the bank’s official app or by contacting the customer service center.
“Payment,” “compensation,” “assistance.”
Do not click on links in SMS messages you receive. Verify information about any payments only on official government or bank websites.
“A relative is in trouble” or “an acquaintance is asking you to transfer money urgently.”
You should call this person or their relatives to verify for yourself whether there is actually an urgent need for your help. Do not transfer money in a hurry based solely on a message in a messaging app.
Selling products on a marketplace.
Sellers do not need to enter their card details on third-party websites “to receive funds.” To process a transfer, only the card number or IBAN is required—not the CVV code, PIN, or passwords.
Suspicious website.
You should carefully check the page address, domain, and look for extra characters or errors in the name. Do not enter card details on websites that raise even the slightest suspicion.
Messenger account hacking.
You should enable two-factor authentication, use strong passwords, and verify any unusual requests from acquaintances through another communication channel.
Suspected fraud.
You should immediately block the card, contact the bank, and save SMS messages, links, phone numbers, and any other information that may assist in the investigation.
“Financial security begins not only with technology but also with the customer’s behavior. Banks are constantly improving their security systems, but fraudsters often target the person, not the bank. That is why staying alert, remaining calm, and verifying information through official channels remain the simplest and most effective ways to protect yourself,” concluded Anna Dovgalskaya.
GLOBUS COMMERCIAL BANK (GLOBUS BANK) was founded in 2007.
As of June 2026, the regional network comprises 34 branches, 29 of which are part of the Power Banking network, enabling operations during power outages.
GLOBUS BANK has been assigned 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 include financing energy-efficient projects, mortgage lending in the primary market, auto loans, and lending to small and medium-sized businesses.
GLOBUS BANK is an accredited partner of a number of government programs: the state mortgage program “eOselya,” the preferential lending programs for small and medium-sized businesses “5-7-9,” “Affordable Factoring,” “Affordable Financial Leasing 5-7-9,” and “Energy Independence for Individuals—Homeowners.”
The Bank is a partner of the State Agency “Energy Efficiency Fund” under the “Energodim” and “GreenDIM” lending programs for condominium associations and housing cooperatives.
The Bank participates in the state program “National Cashback.”
On June 25, 2024, GLOBUS BANK became one of the 17 largest Ukrainian banks to sign 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.
