Fraudsters and violations of the right to data protection: Lubinets spoke about the appeals
In 2025, the Office of the Ombudsman received 1,134 requests concerning data protection. According to Dmytro Lubinets, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada, on August 16, there is a growing number of cybercrimes on social networks – from account theft to extortion of money under the guise of assistance, which threatens the personal data security of citizens.
To minimize risks, do not open links and files from strangers, regularly back up documents, photos, and contacts and store them in a secure place; use strong passwords, licensed software, and antivirus, avoid programs from aggressor countries; enable two-factor authentication.
What constitutes personal data
According to the Law of Ukraine “On Personal Data Protection,” personal data are information or a set of information about a natural person who can be directly or indirectly identified. Identification can be performed directly (by name, passport) or through indirect signs (IP address, place of work, etc.). Ordinary data include first name, last name, phone number, email address, date of birth, home address; sensitive (special) data include race or ethnicity, political views, religious or ideological beliefs, health status, biometric or genetic data, financial status. Processing of such data is allowed only with consent or on lawful grounds. The law also regulates the principle of data minimization – collect only the information needed for a clearly defined purpose.
Transfers of personal data to third parties are possible only with the owner’s consent or on lawful grounds (court decision, national security interests, etc.). Violations carry administrative, civil, or criminal liability. The Cyber Police warn that carelessly disclosed numbers, addresses, copies of documents, and other confidential information can be used by scammers for various mailings.
The most common schemes involving personal data are phishing and social engineering: attackers try to steal confidential data under the guise of legitimate messages or government assistance. The options may include emails or messages asking to confirm registration, block a card, or click on a forged link.
How to protect yourself: keep personal and financial phone numbers separate, do not open suspicious emails or links, verify information about provided assistance through official sources, report phishing to law enforcement; if you have already clicked a link and entered data – immediately change your password, enable two-factor authentication; if the same password is used on other services – change it there as well; contact your bank using the official hotline number and check your device for viruses.
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