Treason: In September, telephone scammers received over 8.7 million rubles from Novgorod residents.

Novgorod police reported 21 registered cases of remote fraud in September. Most of the reports came from Veliky Novgorod, but victims also included citizens from the Borovichi, Starorussky, Demyansky, Krestetsky, Novgorodsky, and Okulovsky districts. The total amount of funds transferred by Novgorod residents to other people's accounts amounted to 8.761 million rubles.

The largest sum lost was 2.7 million rubles by a 50-year-old resident of Veliky Novgorod who was trying to make money through investments.

In September, scammers began calling from an unknown number with information about the delivery of a package addressed to the victim. To receive it, Novgorod residents were required to provide a code from a text message. After providing the code, the scammers would call from another number, posing as law enforcement officials, and intimidate the victims with claims of having their personal information stolen, loans issued in their names, and funds transferred to the accounts of citizens of countries unfriendly to Russia. After such conversations, the victims usually followed the scammers' instructions and transferred the money to "safe accounts."

Other scammers' ploys include extending contracts for services, tax-filing problems, job offers, or confirming doctor's appointments. Then, as usual: after receiving the code, the scammers blackmail Novgorod residents by claiming they've committed treason.

In 10 of the 21 cases, the victims were Novgorod residents over 50 years old, in 7 cases, those between 30 and 50 years old, and only in 4 cases, those under 30. The number of men and women injured was approximately equal.

It is also noted that, thanks to the prompt and competent actions of police and bank employees, the fraudsters were unable to complete their criminal activities in four cases, and Novgorod residents thus saved 3.65 million rubles.

As a reminder, do not perform financial transactions under the dictation or instructions of strangers. If you have any concerns that you are being subjected to fraud, contact the police immediately.

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