Aliskhan Akylbekov, an operative of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Bishkek City Police Department, spoke about how cybercriminals operate in an interview on Birinchi Radio. He emphasized the need for prevention and combating cybercrime.
According to the expert, cyber fraud remains a significant problem, and law enforcement agencies work daily to address it. Criminals continue to deceive people, and the police regularly receive reports from citizens who have fallen victim to such crimes. Additionally, some victims seek help from banks.
Akylbekov noted that fraudsters often impersonate employees of various services, including the police, the State National Security Committee, as well as banks and the National Bank. Their main goal is to seize citizens' money. Cyber fraud is characterized by the fact that all interactions occur remotely: via phone, through messengers and social networks such as WhatsApp and Telegram. Criminals actively use psychological manipulation in this process.
“The most vulnerable are elderly people who grew up in the post-Soviet space and speak Russian. Those who do not speak Russian are less likely to fall for the tricks of fraudsters,” he added.
The police officer pointed out that often victims themselves provide fraudsters with their personal data, including information about bank accounts and passwords. This leads to significant financial losses, as some victims not only transfer money but also take out loans or sell their property to hand over funds to the fraudsters.
Akylbekov also noted that legislative measures to combat cyber fraud are being implemented. In August of last year, a law was passed and signed by the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, which introduced changes to several legislative acts. An article 209, part 1, was added to the Criminal Code, which establishes liability for transferring and selling electronic payment means and SIM cards to third parties.
“Many citizens create conditions for fraudsters themselves by obtaining bank cards in their name and providing access to electronic services. For this, they can receive small amounts, from five to ten thousand soms. Due to ignorance of the law or for other reasons, they hand over their data, after which stolen funds are withdrawn from the cards,” he explained.
Akylbekov also warned that it is extremely unsafe to transfer access to one's SIM cards and WhatsApp accounts to third parties, as fraudsters can gain access to the account and use it for deception.
Additionally, he reported that from August until the end of 2025, employees of the Cyber Unit of the Bishkek City Police Department and district departments detained 116 dropper individuals who sold their bank cards. Of these, 30 people faced criminal charges. According to Akylbekov, the introduction of the new article of the law has led to a decrease in the number of cybercrimes involving dropper cards, indicating a positive effect of the measures taken.
