A dubious online service has appeared, promising “127-FZ (on bankruptcy) legal clearing of debts on a turnkey basis with preservation of property,” a claim apparently supported by popular search engines. The site imitates the symbols of the State Services portal and the electronic justice system to appear legitimate.
The page touts a range of services for Russians: debt relief and settlements, formal and transparent contracts, and free consultations. The operators claim a 98% success rate in cases.
Visitors are prompted to complete a questionnaire and share their phone number. The survey asks about the debt type (loans, microloans, utilities, alimony), the delay level, mortgage status, and city of residence.
Authorities said there is no debt-clearing service in the Government Services portal. Instead, the portal offers information about individual bankruptcy procedures, with service provision limited to applications via the MFC or the Arbitration Court, according to the Ministry of Digital Development.
The Central Bank and the Arbitration Court of Moscow did not respond to inquiries.
Socialbites.ca reported that an inquiry sent to the site received an immediate SMS: “Your application has been accepted. We will call you as soon as possible at 88005005423. Best regards, UC Zenit.”
The Zenit law firm’s website lists experience in Russia since 2016, and the firm’s contact details include the very phone number in question. After a callback, a Zenit expert informed socialbites.ca that the firm handles debts around 200,000 rubles and quoted service costs around 60,000 rubles, while WhatsApp outreach cited 250,000 rubles. Socialbites.ca found six negative comments about the number online, with users claiming the number is fake and reporting that it simply rings or plays music on an answering machine.
How do scammers operate?
Experts describe these actors as anti-collectors known as “borrowers” who promise to resolve debt issues by negotiating with lenders, purchasing debts, or arranging bankruptcies, as explained by Jamali Kuliyev, a lawyer with Yukov and Partners.
According to his assessment, scammers promise to settle only a portion of the debt, with the rest written off, while the victim pays upfront. Then the remaining debt can reappear with added interest and penalties because nothing is actually resolved. Scammers may also induce the victim to sign over communications with creditors to the scammers themselves, introducing a new fee for ongoing contact. Eventually, creditors and collectors may escalate to lawsuits because the debtor’s contact path has shifted to the scammers, who fail to deliver results.
Another common tactic is promising 10%, 20%, or 30% debt clearance for prompt payment, a promise that rarely materializes. When money is paid, the scammers disappear, and the victim is left dealing with the original creditors and collectors again.
In some cases, the promised debt wipeout is used to induce urgency and compel quick payment, after which the scammers vanish or become unresponsive, leaving the victim in a worse position.
What is the scammers’ aim?
Cybersecurity experts examined the source and labeled it a gray area operation. They note numerous semi-legal schemes that promise debt relief under the guise of aid, but then withdraw funds and time without delivering on promises. These schemes often rely on fictitious legal authorities or links to imaginary state bodies.
Experts say the goal is to harvest personal information from people in tough situations to fuel phishing attempts. The site mimics the Government Services color scheme and branding but bears no real connection. If people submit their data, a so-called lawyer may contact them, urging quick payments to begin “work,” only to disappear and never follow up. The likely outcome is a lost payment and continued debt pressure for the victim, explained Sergey Polunin, head of the infrastructure IT protection group at Gazinformservice.
Pavel Korostelev, head of product promotion at Code of Security, noted that scammers seek personal details to extend their reach to relatives and acquaintances. They may call, build trust, and request additional actions, such as sharing card details to withdraw funds, he warned.