Police dismantle group that used fake MyGov portal to steal more than UZS 1 billion

Law enforcement authorities have dismantled an organized criminal group accused of stealing more than UZS 1 billion from hundreds of citizens by using a counterfeit version of the Unified Interactive State Services Portal, MyGov.

The Department for Combating Cybercrime under the Ministry of Internal Affairs said the suspects created a fake website closely resembling the official my.gov.uz platform and promoted it on Instagram under the name "Compensation Registration Center," falsely claiming that users could apply for compensation payments.

According to investigators, the scheme was organized by a man born in 1993 in the Khorezm region. Victims were directed to the fraudulent website, where they were instructed to fill out an application form and enter their bank card details. The information was then used to withdraw money from their accounts.

Authorities said the operation involved an organized criminal group rather than a single offender. Two additional suspects, born in 2002 and 2006, were also recruited to participate in the scheme.

The investigation found that the group used 293 bank cards registered in the names of 26 individuals as so-called "drop" accounts. Stolen funds were first transferred to these cards before being converted into cryptoassets through specialized cryptocurrency bots on Telegram in an apparent attempt to conceal the money trail.

Investigators have established that the group defrauded 456 people across Uzbekistan, stealing more than UZS 1 billion in total. The criminal operation was brought to an end following investigations conducted by officers of the Cybercrime Department of the Andijan Regional DIA.

A criminal case has been opened under Article 168 of the Criminal Code, which covers fraud, as well as Article 278-6. The investigation is ongoing.

The case comes as Uzbekistan steps up efforts to combat cybercrime. On March 12, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed proposals aimed at strengthening the fight against cybercrime and organized crime, as well as improving the prevention of offenses committed using information technologies.

During the presentation, officials noted the sharp rise in technology-enabled crimes, arguing that national legislation should introduce tougher penalties for such offenses and establish liability for emerging forms of cybercrime. They also stressed the need to strengthen legal responsibility for financial pyramid schemes, which continue to cause significant losses for citizens.