In the Moscow region, an audacious crime targeted an 11-year-old girl who was deceived into handing over 275 thousand rubles by scammers who pretended to be her grandmother. This alarming report comes from Life, citing information from the Telegram channel Shot. The incident unfolded in the city of Korolev, where a young student answered a phone call at home and heard a voice she believed belonged to her grandmother. The caller claimed that a relative had been involved in an accident and warned that the person could end up in prison if help was not provided immediately.
As the conversation progressed, the impersonator introduced a scheme of urgency and fear, presenting themselves as an investigator who had arrived to look into the matter. The girl was told that bedding, two towels, and some money were needed to secure the safety of her relative. In a moment of panic, she took 250 thousand rubles and 287 dollars from her belongings, placing them into an envelope and delivering it to the courier arranged by the attackers, along with other items demanded during the call.
The story did not end there. The child later disclosed the sequence of events to her father, who immediately recognized the pattern of deception. He also noted that the voices on the call mimicked those of their relatives, a tactic designed to heighten fear and lower resistance. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, the father contacted law enforcement, and a criminal case was opened on charges of fraud. This case underscores how convincingly criminals can imitate familiar voices to manipulate children and other vulnerable individuals into surrendering money or valuables.
The incident in Korolev joins a broader pattern of fraud where scammers use voice replication and urgent language to press for rapid transfers of funds. In recent discussions about similar schemes, authorities have emphasized that legitimate institutions will never pressure victims into making quick, emotionally driven transfers over the phone. Parents and guardians are urged to teach children about verifying callers, especially when someone claims to be a relative or a trusted adviser and requests confidential information or money. News outlets and official advisories have repeatedly highlighted the importance of pausing, contacting the supposed relative through an independently verified channel, and reporting suspicious calls to police authorities. The case in Korolev serves as a stark reminder of the vigilance required when a voice on the line seems familiar but the situation feels forced or inappropriate. It also illustrates the crucial role of families in safeguarding children from online and telephonic fraud by fostering open communication about unusual requests and the steps to take when something feels off.
Across Russia, there have been other high-profile incidents that echo this pattern. In Saint Petersburg, a separate case involved a teacher who faced severe debt pressures and suspects managed to exploit that pressure to obtain a substantial amount of money from an unwitting party. The total reported in that instance reached 7.8 million rubles, highlighting how fraud can manifest across different communities and populations. In every instance, the core lesson remains consistent: verify identities, resist pressure, and report suspicious activity promptly. Police authorities continually remind the public to be cautious, to double-check with trusted relatives through a separate channel, and to seek assistance from official channels when in doubt. These narratives collectively stress the value of community awareness and proactive safety steps to prevent financial losses and protect vulnerable individuals from predatory schemes.
[Source: Life reporting based on the Shot Telegram channel.]