In Moscow, an associate professor from the Moscow Institute of Power Engineering fell prey to a sophisticated telephone scam. The attackers managed to extract more than 2 million rubles from the educator, according to a Telegram channel report from Shot.
During a lecture attended by a 61-year-old associate professor, a colleague moved into the audience and announced that the Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education would soon initiate a call to the lecturer.
After the session, the professor was contacted through a messaging app by an unidentified person posing as an official. He claimed that FSB officers would soon reach out and that the professor must follow their instructions. The scammers then pressured the Muscovite to move his savings to a so-called secure account to prevent them from financing terrorists.
The educator transferred 2.1 million rubles to the account of a colleague who claimed the deputy minister would be calling. Shortly after, the account was blocked, triggering further alarms.
Law enforcement officials are tracing the identities involved in the case. Investigators also uncovered that a colleague of the professor played a role in the crime. A criminal case has been opened under the article for fraud carried out on a particularly large scale by an organized group. If convicted, the suspects face a possible prison term of up to ten years.
In a separate incident, a Muscovite earlier grew tired of moving money to a supposed backup account. He invited the scammer into his home and handed over a million rubles, underscoring how brazenness and manipulation can lead to swift financial losses.