In the Kaluga region, a resident fell victim to a sophisticated financial scam, with more than ten million rubles leaving his control to fraudsters. This was reported by the regional branch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is overseeing the case and pursuing the perpetrators.
The investigation reveals that the victim was subjected to several months of ongoing contact with the scammers. The first communication arrived from a woman posing as a law enforcement officer. She warned that someone was attempting to access the man’s savings and proposed urgent steps to protect them.
Shortly after, the victim was approached by an individual presenting as an employee of a financial institution. This caller pressured him to move his funds into a supposedly secured account and to take out a loan under the pretense of safeguarding the savings against theft or loss.
As the ruse progressed, the phony advisor claimed the victim needed to assist in exposing corrupt real estate agents. Acting on this tip, the man contacted the agency referenced by the scammers, proceeded to sell two apartments, and transferred the proceeds to the accounts provided by the fraudsters. In total, the resident transferred roughly 12 million rubles before realizing the deception.
A criminal case has been opened in connection with the incident, and authorities are actively tracking down the scammers while continuing to gather evidence and identify the scheme’s organizers.
In a separate, previously reported case, a retiree in Saint Petersburg handed over five million rubles to purported guardians who claimed they were saving his daughter from danger. Such incidents highlight the persistent risk of social engineering and the importance of verifying every transfer request, especially when it involves large sums of money and sudden instructions from officials or financial staff.
Experts emphasize several practical safeguards to reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim: never disclose personal or banking details to unsolicited contacts, verify the identity and affiliation of anyone requesting access to funds, and independently contact official channels using published numbers or official websites rather than numbers given by a caller. If something feels off, pause the transaction and seek a second opinion from a trusted bank representative or a local police office. Financial institutions and law enforcement agencies increasingly warn about these scams, urging citizens to remain vigilant and to report suspicious activity promptly to help authorities halt criminal networks before more people are harmed.