A resident of the Belgorod region became a victim of a complex fraud scheme after a convincing phone call, prompting the regional Ministry of Internal Affairs to intervene and open an investigation. The incident underscores how social engineering can pressure people into handing over money or assets when trusted authorities are invoked during a crisis.
Initially, the callers claimed to be employees of Rospotrebnadzor and asserted that the victim had received a power of attorney from a woman who supposedly allowed someone to disappear. A 70-year-old caller presenting himself as a researcher then contacted the victim by phone and invited her to participate in exposing the scammers, presenting himself as an insider who could help reveal the fraudsters.
Under the guidance of the alleged officials, the Belgorod resident completed a transaction that involved transferring control of the apartment and moving funds. After the operation was finished, the supposed money was sent to a secure account, following the instructions given during the call.
Shortly afterwards, the criminals learned that the woman still had cash on hand and pressed her to transfer the remaining funds. In total, the victim lost 3.8 million rubles, a devastating amount that illustrates the severity of such manipulative schemes.
When the truth came to light, a criminal case was opened on charges of fraud. Investigators from the Ministry of Internal Affairs are actively pursuing the suspects and gathering evidence to hold the attackers accountable.
Earlier, a similar incident occurred in Krasnodar, resulting in losses of about five million rubles. Together, these cases reveal a troubling pattern of social engineering that exploits authority figures, urgency, and trust to extract money from vulnerable individuals.
Experts emphasize the importance of verifying any unexpected requests through official channels, avoiding the disclosure of personal data, and reporting suspicious calls to authorities. Keeping a cool head and consulting a trusted contact can prevent many of these scams.