MIA Cyber Police warn against scammers offering VIP number plates

MIA Cyber Police warn against scammers offering VIP number plates
MIA Cyber Police warn against scammers offering VIP number plates

Warning from law enforcement

The Cyber Police Department and the Main Service Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine have called on citizens to be vigilant: criminals are operating online, offering motorists so-called VIP number plates. The scammers guarantee the receipt of a specific number combination, but in reality, such offers may be a method for illegally appropriating citizens' funds.

Criminals may pose as intermediaries, claiming to have access to state databases or to be able to process a number by bypassing the standard procedure. Law enforcement emphasise that such offers may be a way to illegally appropriate citizens' funds.

Official reservation procedure

Availability of free combinations and number plate reservations can be checked exclusively through the official electronic service, the "Driver's Cabinet". To do this, the user must log in, navigate to the "Electronic Services" section, and select the "Number Plate Reservation" function.

Within the system, users can independently specify the region, a specific MIA service centre, and the type of vehicle, and view available options in real time. It is impossible to order the production of a plate with a specific combination via phone calls, messengers, or third-party websites. Therefore, the availability of a desired number must be verified exclusively on official resources.

A reserved number is held for the applicant for 15 calendar days. To receive the physical plate, it is necessary to visit the chosen MIA service centre and complete the vehicle registration or re-registration procedure.

Tariffs and service costs

The cost of services depends on the chosen number combination and the vehicle category. According to current tariffs:

  • a desired number combination costs 360 hryvnia;
  • designated paid combinations cost between 2,400 and 96,000 hryvnia.

Reservation services, registration services, the production of the number plate itself, and the vehicle registration certificate are charged separately.

How to recognise scammers

The Cyber Police have identified several key signs that should alert a potential victim:

  • an intermediary offers to reserve a number outside the official service;
  • the receipt of a specific combination is guaranteed without prior verification of its availability in the system;
  • a transfer of funds to a personal bank card is demanded;
  • the issuance of a number plate is promised without undergoing registration or re-registration at an MIA service centre.

To avoid losses, law enforcement advise using only the "Driver's Cabinet", independently checking number availability, and verifying service costs against official tariffs. It is strongly not recommended to trust offers of "expedited processing" for an additional fee, nor to provide passwords, bank details, confirmation codes, and login data for electronic services to third parties.

Actions in case of fraud

If a citizen has already become a victim of fraud and transferred money, it is necessary to preserve all evidence: correspondence with the "seller", their contact details, payment receipts, and links to websites or pages where the offer was made.

After preserving the evidence, one should contact their bank as soon as possible and report the crime to the Cyber Police via the official online form. Additional information about common fraud methods and protection measures can be found on the StopFraud platform.

Law enforcement call on Ukrainians not to trust suspicious offers and not to transfer money to unknown individuals. Adhering to the official number plate reservation procedure will help avoid financial losses and protect personal data.

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first!

Leave a comment

Links are not allowed in comments. The editors may remove comments without explanation.
Back to top ↑