Cybercrime group arrested for stealing money through fake MyGov website

A cybercrime group that allegedly stole money from citizens' bank cards through a fake version of Uzbekistan's MyGov portal has been exposed, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.

According to the ministry, a suspect born in 1993 in Khorezm region created a fraudulent website resembling the government's official my.gov.uz platform and promoted it on Instagram as a "compensation registration center." Citizens who followed the link were instructed to complete an online form and enter their bank card details, after which funds were withdrawn from their accounts.

Investigators said the suspect recruited two accomplices, born in 2002 and 2006, to assist in the scheme. The group allegedly used 293 "drop" bank cards registered in the names of 26 individuals. The stolen funds were transferred to those accounts and later converted into crypto assets through specialized cryptocurrency bots on Telegram.

According to the ministry, the group stole more than UZS 1 billion from 456 victims across the country. The scheme was uncovered during an operation carried out by officers of the Cybercrime Department of the Andijan Regional Department of Internal Affairs.

A criminal case has been opened against the suspects under Article 168 of the Criminal Code (fraud) and Article 278-6 (creation, use, or distribution of malicious software). The investigation is ongoing.

Earlier, authorities detained an individual in Tashkent's Yunusabad district for allegedly facilitating the illegal circulation of nearly $11 million worth of crypto assets.