Fraud Alert: A Russian scam uses a TV star persona to fleece a Vologda resident
In the Vologda region a local resident reported a fraud case after transferring 1 million rubles, believing the conversation was with an actor from the TV series The Squid Game. The report was circulated by IA SeverInform with reference to the regional Ministry of Internal Affairs.
A 48-year-old woman from Vologda said that in February a man contacted her under an actor’s name, and their dialogue soon began to grow more personal. The initial contact seemed friendly, but it quickly took on a professional tone as the scammer introduced a plan tied to celebrity status and opportunities.
The suspect then proposed that she obtain a VIP fan card for 2.5 thousand euros. When the woman explained she did not have that amount, the attacker suggested partially funding the project through her, while he himself would take a loan. She sent 300 thousand rubles to the scammer, believing she was helping to secure a future opportunity.
After that, the scammer promised she would be able to join the actress on tours and would receive a share of revenue from each episode featuring her. Two weeks later, the actor invited the woman for a face-to-face interview and steered the conversation toward his manager for further discussion.
The victim was told that a private plane would cost 8,000 euros, a sum she could not cover. The talking partner accepted 6,000 euros instead. To cover additional costs, the woman took another loan for 574,000 rubles. The actor claimed at the meeting that the money would be returned, but the woman did not possess a foreign passport. The scammer then offered to resolve this issue for 1,300 euros. The woman transferred her entire savings to the scammer, totaling 162,000 rubles in that transaction alone.
On the day she was set to depart for the airport, the scammer claimed that the company management had learned of the correspondence, and communication ceased abruptly. This pattern mirrors a classic celebrity impersonation scam where the attacker uses fame as a trust signal to pressure victims into making large, rapid payments.
Earlier reports indicated another case in which a Kazan resident attempted to cash out one million rubles under the guise of a celebrity named Angelina Jolie. These cases highlight how the promise of proximity to famous figures can drive victims to take risky financial steps. [Source: IA SeverInform]