A resident of Nizhny Novgorod became a victim of a scam that saw him transfer 10.7 million rubles to criminals. The incident was reported by regional police authorities overseeing the area.
The scammer contacted a 70-year-old retiree, claiming that someone had supposedly extended a loan in his name. During discussions with the reporter, the retiree was led to believe that his apartment had been mortgaged, which heightened his sense of urgency and fear.
Believing the warning, the man proceeded to obtain loans from several local banks and then sent the money to the fraudsters who promised to fix the situation and bring him back home. The deceit played on the retiree’s concern for his living situation and his trust in what appeared to be official guidance.
A criminal case has been opened on charges of fraud in connection with the incident. Russian law typically provides a potential prison term of up to ten years for such offenses, depending on the circumstances and the evidence presented in court. [Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs, Nizhny Novgorod region]
The Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a reminder: if a caller from an unknown number claims to represent a government agency or any organization, it is crucial to pause, verify the information, and double-check by contacting official channels. This precaution can prevent many frauds by exposing attempts to manipulate fear or misinformation. [Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs]
In a separate case, a former resident of Yekaterinburg reportedly handed over his apartment to scammers for a sum of 13 million rubles, illustrating how the same tactic can appear in different cities and affect diverse victims. [Source: Regional police report]