Fraudsters who stole 44 million rubles were detained. the former first deputy chief of staff of the State Duma of Russia. The attackers were charged under the article on fraud on a particularly large scale.
Phone fraudster detained
Employees of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Department of Internal Affairs (ATC) in the South-Western Administrative District of Moscow detained a suspect in the theft of more than 44 million rubles. the former first deputy head of the State Duma staff, retired KGB lieutenant Colonel Yuri Bezverkhov, reports Kommersant. It is specified that the detainee is a 33-year-old resident of the city of Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanovsk region Nikita Miridonov.
A 78-year-old pensioner, Yuri Bezverkhov, a former KGB lieutenant colonel and former first deputy chief of staff of the Russian State Duma, filed a police report in Teply Stan.
According to the source of the Kommersant news agency, in November 2022, an unknown person, who introduced himself as an employee of the Central Bank of Russia, called Yuri Bezverkhov via WhatsApp, notifying him of suspicious transfers to his bank accounts. In March 2023, Bezverkhov received a call from an unknown person, who demanded to return this money. Having agreed, Bezverkhov provided the code from the received SMS message from the bank, which may raise suspicions about the purpose of these actions.
According to the criminal case, over the course of a month, the attacker, identified as Nikita Miridonov, gradually transferred money from the bank account of Yuri Bezverkhov. In one of the transfers, the criminal expressed his gratitude by writing in the payment assignment: "Thank you for everything you did for me!".
From 2022 to 2023, the pensioner spent a long time in the hospital and lived in the country. During this time, fraudsters stole 44 million rubles from him. In April 2023, Bezverkhov noticed the loss of funds and applied to the bank, after which a criminal case was initiated. A statement about the theft was sent to the Moscow police in the Teply Stan district. The police have launched an investigation and are trying to identify the owners of the cards to which the funds were transferred.
On April 5, 2024, officers of the Criminal Investigation Department of the South-Western Administrative District arrested Nikita Miridonov in Russia at the man's place of residence. In connection with the charge of fraud on a particularly large scale, established by Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The maximum penalty under this article is ten years in prison.
Phone fraud
As of April 2024, with digital communications dominating, phone call fraud is becoming increasingly common, posing a significant threat to people's financial security and personal information. Fraudsters use various deceptive techniques to manipulate unsuspecting victims, forcing them to disclose confidential information or transfer money under false pretenses. Recognizing phone call fraud is essential to protect yourself from potential harm and financial loss.
With the proliferation of telecommunications technologies, fraudsters have taken advantage of the anonymity and accessibility provided by phone calls to commit fraudulent activities on a global scale. Fraudsters use a wide range of tactics to deceive unsuspecting people, from posing as government agencies and financial institutions to technical support representatives or lottery representatives. The consequences of people falling victim to phone fraud can range from financial loss and identity theft to emotional stress and reputational damage.
Types of fraud
Phone call fraud for 2024 manifests itself in various forms, each designed to exploit different vulnerabilities and manipulate victims into complying with the scammers ' demands.
Impersonation Fraud - Fraudsters impersonate legitimate organizations or authorities, such as the Central Bank of Russia, the Social Security Administration, or technical support companies, to intimidate victims and force them to provide personal information or make payments.
Phishing calls - scammers pose as representatives of banks, credit card companies, or utility providers, seeking to obtain confidential financial information, such as account numbers or passwords, under the guise of solving alleged problems.
Lottery and prize fraud-victims are called and informed that they have won a prize or lottery, but must pay advance fees, taxes, or pay for delivery via Russian Post to receive their winnings. After sending money, people discover that the prize does not exist, and that they were cheated.
Tech Support Fraud - Scammers claim to work for reputable tech companies and inform victims of alleged problems with their devices, encouraging them to provide remote access or purchase unnecessary services or software.
VTSIOM survey statistics
In February 2024 The All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) presents the results of a monitoring survey of Russians on phone fraud.
According to the results obtained, the main criterion for choosing a potential victim is the place of residence. Residents of both capitals are most susceptible to phone fraud: 85% of Muscovites and St. Petersburg residents have experienced it (including 81% who received calls from scammers, 26% - SMS messages), while in rural areas 57% of our fellow citizens have dealt with phone scammers: 55% received calls, every tenth - SMS (10%).
Another differentiating factor is the level of education: the higher it is, the more often respondents can share their experience of "communicating" with scammers. 77% of Russians with higher and incomplete higher education admitted that they received fake calls, 22% faced SMS fraud, among respondents with secondary special education, these were 60% and 14%, respectively. This hardly indicates that highly educated citizens are more attractive to fraudsters; most likely, the differences in responses are due to the ability to recognize an attempt to cheat.
Phone fraudster detained
Employees of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Department of Internal Affairs (ATC) in the South-Western Administrative District of Moscow detained a suspect in the theft of more than 44 million rubles. the former first deputy head of the State Duma staff, retired KGB lieutenant Colonel Yuri Bezverkhov, reports Kommersant. It is specified that the detainee is a 33-year-old resident of the city of Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanovsk region Nikita Miridonov.
A 78-year-old pensioner, Yuri Bezverkhov, a former KGB lieutenant colonel and former first deputy chief of staff of the Russian State Duma, filed a police report in Teply Stan.
According to the source of the Kommersant news agency, in November 2022, an unknown person, who introduced himself as an employee of the Central Bank of Russia, called Yuri Bezverkhov via WhatsApp, notifying him of suspicious transfers to his bank accounts. In March 2023, Bezverkhov received a call from an unknown person, who demanded to return this money. Having agreed, Bezverkhov provided the code from the received SMS message from the bank, which may raise suspicions about the purpose of these actions.
According to the criminal case, over the course of a month, the attacker, identified as Nikita Miridonov, gradually transferred money from the bank account of Yuri Bezverkhov. In one of the transfers, the criminal expressed his gratitude by writing in the payment assignment: "Thank you for everything you did for me!".
From 2022 to 2023, the pensioner spent a long time in the hospital and lived in the country. During this time, fraudsters stole 44 million rubles from him. In April 2023, Bezverkhov noticed the loss of funds and applied to the bank, after which a criminal case was initiated. A statement about the theft was sent to the Moscow police in the Teply Stan district. The police have launched an investigation and are trying to identify the owners of the cards to which the funds were transferred.
On April 5, 2024, officers of the Criminal Investigation Department of the South-Western Administrative District arrested Nikita Miridonov in Russia at the man's place of residence. In connection with the charge of fraud on a particularly large scale, established by Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The maximum penalty under this article is ten years in prison.
Phone fraud
As of April 2024, with digital communications dominating, phone call fraud is becoming increasingly common, posing a significant threat to people's financial security and personal information. Fraudsters use various deceptive techniques to manipulate unsuspecting victims, forcing them to disclose confidential information or transfer money under false pretenses. Recognizing phone call fraud is essential to protect yourself from potential harm and financial loss.
With the proliferation of telecommunications technologies, fraudsters have taken advantage of the anonymity and accessibility provided by phone calls to commit fraudulent activities on a global scale. Fraudsters use a wide range of tactics to deceive unsuspecting people, from posing as government agencies and financial institutions to technical support representatives or lottery representatives. The consequences of people falling victim to phone fraud can range from financial loss and identity theft to emotional stress and reputational damage.
Types of fraud
Phone call fraud for 2024 manifests itself in various forms, each designed to exploit different vulnerabilities and manipulate victims into complying with the scammers ' demands.
Impersonation Fraud - Fraudsters impersonate legitimate organizations or authorities, such as the Central Bank of Russia, the Social Security Administration, or technical support companies, to intimidate victims and force them to provide personal information or make payments.
Phishing calls - scammers pose as representatives of banks, credit card companies, or utility providers, seeking to obtain confidential financial information, such as account numbers or passwords, under the guise of solving alleged problems.
Lottery and prize fraud-victims are called and informed that they have won a prize or lottery, but must pay advance fees, taxes, or pay for delivery via Russian Post to receive their winnings. After sending money, people discover that the prize does not exist, and that they were cheated.
Tech Support Fraud - Scammers claim to work for reputable tech companies and inform victims of alleged problems with their devices, encouraging them to provide remote access or purchase unnecessary services or software.
VTSIOM survey statistics
In February 2024 The All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) presents the results of a monitoring survey of Russians on phone fraud.
According to the results obtained, the main criterion for choosing a potential victim is the place of residence. Residents of both capitals are most susceptible to phone fraud: 85% of Muscovites and St. Petersburg residents have experienced it (including 81% who received calls from scammers, 26% - SMS messages), while in rural areas 57% of our fellow citizens have dealt with phone scammers: 55% received calls, every tenth - SMS (10%).
Another differentiating factor is the level of education: the higher it is, the more often respondents can share their experience of "communicating" with scammers. 77% of Russians with higher and incomplete higher education admitted that they received fake calls, 22% faced SMS fraud, among respondents with secondary special education, these were 60% and 14%, respectively. This hardly indicates that highly educated citizens are more attractive to fraudsters; most likely, the differences in responses are due to the ability to recognize an attempt to cheat.
