Money bundle scam

Over the last couple of weeks we have received a growing number of reports from foreigners who have been robbed on the streets in Kyiv. In all instances, it concerned a standard scam of a tourist or foreign resident walking on the street and someone dropping a bundle of cash or a wallet full of cash in front of the foreigner.

This standard scam had been practiced in Kyiv for many years now. The foreigner is being tracked by at least two accomplices who recognize him either as a tourist or foreign resident. One person drops the money, one will approach you to split the money, and the third will be a fake police officer.

One man drops the money. If you pick up the money, a person appears either offering to split the money you have found or picking it up and offering to split it with you if you don’t pick it up. The first guy appears to be “normal” but as soon as you split the money, he will vanish and a “police officer” will approach you asking to produce the money which was found. Further, the man who dropped the money now appears and says that money is missing. The “police officer” asks you to show your passport and your wallet and will take all your money. They are relying on your fear and you not knowing the rules of the city.

There are variations to this scam. Sometimes, it is just two men and one will split the money with you, while the other one demands that you pay back the lost half. We have seen also a third variation of the scam in which one bundle of money is found, but there is no splitting of the cash and the second scammer appears and says that there were two bundles of money.

We know several cases where foreigners have lost from $500 to $2000 on this scam.

We are concerned about your security and would like you to be aware of any such scams. It is advisable not to carry much cash or valuables with you on the street. In case this happens to you or in front of you, just to turn around and walk in a different direction. Do not pick up the money, do not talk to the scammers. Walk away as quickly as possible. They will not call the police because they are crooks, so you need not to worry about arrest or them stopping you and making a big scene because they don’t want to get caught.

We wish you to stay safe in Ukraine and we remain at your disposal.

Faithfully yours,
Ukraine Immigration Consulting Team