Notification and recommendation for the business companies

Prishtinë, 20 May 2015

Recently, there were reported some cases by various business companies owners dealing with a form of fraud through the computer systems, where as a consequence there have been caused considerable damages.

The suspects have managed to provide the data by those companies through various forms, such as: circulation of goods, bills, various payment, communication through the computer (e-mails), etc.

These data are processed and falsified on that way as to be reliable, where then they begin the fraud.

Based on the so far cases, the suspects have managed to intercept in the communication through the internet (exchange of e-mails) of the business companies (one in Kosovo and the other outside Kosovo), modifying the account data then acting on behalf of the company on which the funds for paying the goods had to be transferred.

Unfortunately, some cases of the transfers were realized and the funds were withdrawn, but in some cases the funds have been stopped and blocked in the banks outside Kosovo, since the fraud has been reported immediately.

Technically, this form of crime is likely to be carried out, but there should be created preconditions.

Such a thing can be done through the infection of any virus in the companies computers, where then the access in these computers and at the same time in all the documents and data that these computers possess can be achieved.

The infection of the computer with virus can be done in various forms, such as: through the “attachments”, falsified emails, through USB-s and other forms.

Investigation and identification of the perpetrators of these actions is not easy, and the more complex makes this situation the nature of these cases where almost all of them are carried outside Kosovo, international.

The management of business is of course an individual responsibility of any business owner, but taking into account the cases occurred, Kosovo Police together with the Kosovo Economic Chamber sees as necessary to issue some recommendations for the business companies, in order not to fall prey of those frauds.
The recommendations are as following:
– To provide the computer system with antivirus;
– Use only one computer for communication and this to be done in a controlled manner, e.g. to authorize only one or two employees who deal with the communication and transactions; in this computer must not be installed any other program except the necessary ones to perform the duties and that possess license;
– To not open suspicious emails or when the sender is unknown;
– To make sure that the email from the partner company is authentic (the perpetrator may change only one character in email. e.g. instead of letter o he may write the letter u – [email protected] – the authentic email, while [email protected], false email);
– Prior authorization of the transaction, there should be confirmed the account with the company whether it is authentic or not, and this can be managed through the communication in other forms (e.g. with fix telephony, etc); for any transaction there should be contacted the respective bank in Kosovo, in order to know where the account is;

If these measures are undertaken, the risk to be victim of fraud will be lower.

We also encourage that if you eventually face with such a case or if you are aware for any attempt to commit these actions, report the case in the nearest Police station.

Kosovo Police is ready at any moment to engage in providing security for all the society classes and we believe that this notification will affect in their awareness and there will be no damages which are difficult to recover.

Respectfully,