With the rapid digitalization of the Uzbek economy, cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated. Recently, the marketing agency Jedi Media revealed a new fraud scheme aimed at users of the ad platform OLX.uz.
The essence of fraud
The fraudster, posing as a potential buyer, claims that he can not personally pick up the goods (note - " no time, busy at work”), and Yandex.He doesn't trust delivery. He offers to use the BTS Express delivery service and provides a link to the site where the seller needs to enter his bank card details to receive payment, which the” buyer " has already allegedly transferred to the personal account of the BTS site. However, please note that BTS Express does not transfer payments to the seller, but only delivers packages. Thus, the introduction of card data on a fake site leads to their compromise.
Konstantin KotovThe head of the company's IT development department notes that even the most experienced users can become victims of cyber fraud — if they do not recognize the tricks in time:
"Scammers disguise fake websites as real ones, copying their appearance-logos, design, colors.
More storiesCheck the site address. If the address is strange, with a set of numbers, characters, or suspicious subdomains, for example, bts.inc449z.com instead of the official one bts.uz - close such a site immediately.
Update your antivirus app regularly to protect you from phishing sites.
Do not click on links from chats and SMS messages, even if the person on the other end looks polite and convincing. Especially if you are in a hurry — "the courier is on its way", "the money will soon burn out", "you need it right now". This is a common pressure technique.
Pay attention to the details: fake sites often contain spelling errors, non-clickable logos, broken buttons, or copies of forms that don't lead to secure pages.
Enable two-factor authentication in the bank's app. Even if the card details somehow end up in the hands of fraudsters, this can protect your funds from unauthorized debits.
In general, awareness should be raised about the methods of cyber fraud. Today, scammers work like professional salespeople: they are confident, polite, and patient. Therefore, we must be no less careful. It's better to turn down the deal than risk your money."
Cybercrime statistics in Uzbekistan
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 58,800 cybercrimes were registered in Uzbekistan in 2024, of which 97.7% were related to bank card fraud. The total number of cyber attacks in 2024 exceeded 12 million, which is 1 million more than in 2023.
In the face of growing digital threats, it is important to remain vigilant and critical of any requests for personal information.
