In Seversk, a town in the Tomsk region, a carefully staged phone scam unfolded, targeting a family at their home. A 75-year-old man, his 71-year-old wife, and their 51-year-old son were convinced to sell their car and wire the proceeds into what the caller claimed was a secure, “safe” account. The incident was later reported by the regional office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which described how the fraud began with a seemingly ordinary phone call and quickly escalated into a sophisticated ruse designed to exploit trust and fear. While the details are still emerging, the account illustrates a pattern seen in similar frauds where perpetrators manipulate family members into taking risky financial actions under the guise of preserving an asset or resolving a temporary banking issue.
According to the police report, the attacker presented himself as a bank representative or an agent connected to a financial institution. He convinced the head of the household that the car had been pawned at a bank and that a sham sales contract would be needed to retrieve ownership. Following the caller’s precise instructions, the victim and his son completed the required paperwork, completed the sale of the car, and withdrew all their available savings. They then applied for a loan and transferred more than 1.7 million rubles to a designated number. The manipulation relied on urgency and the impression of an imminent loss, pushing the family to act quickly without seeking independent verification. The ensuing steps were described in the police report as calculated and deceptive, designed to extract funds before the victims could pause to question the legitimacy of the requests.
The following day, the scammers persisted, convincing the same family to lend an additional sum exceeding 5.2 million rubles. In total, the financial damage surpassed 7 million rubles. A criminal case was opened on the grounds of fraud, reflecting the authorities’ commitment to pursuing those who prey on vulnerable individuals and families. The case highlights the importance of verifying every instruction that involves money transfers or changes in asset ownership, especially when requests arrive via unsolicited calls or messages. Anonymous attribution: Regional Ministry of Internal Affairs report on the incident in Seversk.
Investigations indicate the suspect had prior activity in the area, including a separate incident referenced as a burned garage with police patrol cars in Kirov before the Seversk case. While details remain under review, this context underscores a wider pattern of fraud where criminals exploit fear, confusion, and the perceived authority of financial institutions to pull off multi-step scams. Public safety officials emphasize that legitimate banks will never pressure customers to transfer funds, share confidential information, or sign documents without confirming the person’s identity and the legitimacy of the request. People are urged to pause if something feels off, call the bank directly using a number obtained from a trusted source, and seek a second opinion from a family member or friend before taking action.