In Volgograd, a gang operated from a car-based call center, using phone conversations to trick residents into sharing bank details and unwittingly enabling money to be taken. Local authorities reported the incident to MIA Media, describing a coordinated social engineering operation that targeted bank accounts and involved illicit handling of card data.
Officials from the regional Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs collaborated with security personnel from the Russian Guard to detain two suspects, aged 18 and 23, who are linked to a broader pattern of thefts affecting residents. During the arrest, investigators recovered a passenger vehicle containing several phone devices and plastic cards, items that appear to have been central to the scheme.
The investigation revealed that one attacker impersonated a representative of a financial institution, initiating contact with random individuals and presenting offers tied to supposed bonus accruals. By extracting sensitive personal data from the victims, the assailant gained access to accounts and arranged loans in the victims’ names, transferring funds into accounts controlled by the offenders. An accomplice oversaw the procurement of mobile phones, SIM cards, and additional credit cards to equip the operators and managed the cashing out of stolen funds.
Law enforcement noted that multiple residents from the Volgograd region were targeted, and more than ten people from other parts of Russia also fell victim to this fraud network. A criminal case has been opened under Part 3 of Article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, and the suspects remain in custody as the investigation continues to unfold.
In a related context, authorities referenced a separate incident reported earlier in Petersburg. In that case, assailants pretended to be family members, lured a man into a car, and left with a cash sum amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The two events illustrate a growing trend in remote social engineering and card data exploitation that spans multiple regions, underscoring the need for vigilance and robust consumer protections across the country.
Experts emphasize that this type of scheme exploits ordinary exchanges and the trust people place in seemingly legitimate communications. Victims often believe they are speaking with trusted bank representatives or familiar family members, which lowers their guard and accelerates the loss of control over financial information. The emerging pattern includes the use of real-time data gathered from social interactions, paired with targeted attempts to persuade individuals to disclose authentication details or approve transactions. Consumers are urged to verify any unusual requests through official channels and to report suspicious activity promptly to the authorities. This case serves as a reminder that the line between legitimate customer service and fraudulent manipulation can be extremely thin, especially when attackers tailor their approaches to current events or common financial needs. In regions where such scams have appeared, banks have stepped up customer alerts, and law enforcement agencies continue to investigate all links in the fraud chain to disrupt the operation and recover stolen funds. Attribution: MIA Media.