A troubling case from Kursk highlights how online scams can target the most vulnerable. A mother in the city learned that her eight-year-old daughter had become the focus of a deceitful scheme that promised fame as a blogger in exchange for access to the family’s savings. The information came from a regional press release issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which noted that the incident was investigated as a serious criminal act against a minor and her mother.
The younger girl came across an online advertisement inviting her to join a blog development program. Intrigued by the possibility of internet stardom, she reached out to the organizers via a messaging app. The scammers bypassed any initial skepticism by painting a tempting picture of rapid popularity and the opportunity to earn money simply by participating in the program. The child did not understand the full scope of the risk, and the deceit was built on the expectation that the family would provide support and trust the child’s judgment, with the adults ultimately responsible for the money.
To get the process moving, the child was asked to log into her mother’s banking application on the mother’s phone and transfer the family savings to the scammers. Once the funds were moved, the scammers attempted to cover their tracks by pressuring the child to delete all messages and erase any digital footprints that could reveal the fraud. The mother later realized that a substantial amount of money had disappeared—171,000 rubles—and reported the loss to local authorities. A criminal case was promptly opened to pursue the perpetrators and recover the stolen funds.
In a related but separate case, two Russian teenagers were involved in a separate scheme that targeted retirees, resulting in a loss approaching two million rubles. Investigators continue to work on the details of that incident to bring the responsible parties to justice and to understand how such schemes operate so they can prevent future harm. Authorities emphasize the importance of awareness and safeguards against online schemes that promise easy money or fame, especially when they involve vulnerable populations like children and seniors. The public is urged to exercise caution with unsolicited messages, online advertisements, and requests to access financial accounts, and to verify any offer through official channels before taking action. All reports and updates from law enforcement are attributed to the appropriate regional authorities and are part of ongoing investigations to protect families from similar harms.