In Barnaul, a 64-year-old woman became entangled in a scheme she believed she had previously encountered, a situation now being investigated and reported by the local division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Altai Territory. The case highlights how quickly trusted routines can be corrupted by fraudsters who exploit fear, loneliness, and the promise of easy money.
According to the complainant, unknown individuals effectively duped her out of more than 6 million rubles. Over a period spanning July to August, she engaged with the scammers, following their directions and handing over money as they directed, believing she was cooperating with legitimate lenders or advisers. The nerve of the operation lay in how the impostors built a sense of legitimacy, making the victim feel that compliance was both necessary and prudent given her circumstances.
Investigators learned that the interaction began for the first time with the woman at the end of June. In those early exchanges, she transferred 410 thousand rubles to the scammers’ accounts and even sought a loan. The criminal plan aimed to push the total to around 2 million rubles, which they expected to move further to hidden accounts controlled by the fraudsters. A bank employee, noticing suspicious activity, alerted the police, triggering an official response that would eventually involve more formal scrutiny of the case.
As the scam progressed, the attackers reached back out to the retiree with a more aggressive narrative. They claimed to be contacting her again through a bank representative who had previously spoken with her and criticized her for involving the police. The message implied that continuing to resist would jeopardize any chance of resolving the situation in a favorable manner. The supposed bank source urged the retiree to “exhaust her credit potential” and transfer the newly obtained funds to supposedly safer accounts. This manipulation preyed on the fear of financial instability and the misunderstanding of how legitimate loan processes operate.
In the following weeks, the victim accumulated additional loans, including mortgages or liens secured by real estate, and even borrowed from relatives to cover supposed obligations. The scammers insisted that the credit potential still had not been fully closed, persuading her to send more money. After she wired 50 thousand rubles in a single transfer, the fraudulent line of communication abruptly ceased, leaving the victim with a large debt load and a cloud of confusion about what happened.
Presently, a criminal case has been opened on charges of fraud committed on a particularly large scale. Authorities emphasize that this is a serious offense that involves deliberate deception, multiple steps of social engineering, and the diversion of funds through layered transfers intended to frustrate investigators. The ongoing investigation aims to identify the full extent of the financial damage and recover as much as possible for the victim while pursuing accountability for the perpetrators.
Historically, similar incidents have underscored the vulnerability of individuals who are unfamiliar with formal banking procedures or who misinterpret urgent warnings as legitimate calls to action. Law enforcement and financial professionals continue to advise caution: never disclose personal or banking information over the phone to someone who claims to be a bank employee without verifying their identity through official channels. If something feels off, it likely is, and reporting suspicious activity early can prevent extensive losses. This case in Barnaul serves as a stark reminder that even trusted routines can be commandeered by scammers, and that vigilance remains the best defense against such fraud schemes. (Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, Altai Territory)