A Moscow-based schoolteacher became a victim of a sophisticated phone scam and handed over five million rubles to the fraudsters. The incident was reported by Attention, Moscow through its Telegram channel, which has been tracking similar cases across the region.
The 59-year-old educator received a phone call from someone claiming to be a bank employee. The caller said there had been an attempt to change her phone number, which would compromise her account. A short time later, she allegedly received another call from a different bank representative, who claimed there was an urgent need to secure a loan of two million rubles on her behalf.
According to the scammers, the supposed threat to the account meant the safest path was to take several loans, convert them into cash, and transfer all of the funds to a new account under their control. The teacher believed the messages and complied, delivering a total of five million rubles to the callers over the course of the sequence.
Law enforcement agencies are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident to determine how the deception unfolded and to identify those responsible. The case underscores the ongoing risk posed by social-engineering schemes that masquerade as bank communications and financial security advisories.
Similar reports have emerged in other regions as well. Earlier, in Vologda, a woman transferred 6.8 million rubles to scammers who used a comparable approach, prompting renewed cautions from authorities and financial institutions about protecting personal data and recognizing fraudulent requests.