Moscow initiates criminal proceedings against an unmanned aerial vehicle (drone)
In a recent crackdown on telephone fraud scams, Russian police and security services have arrested 20 suspects operating scam call centers in Russia, allegedly coordinated from Ukraine. These centers targeted Russian citizens, causing losses exceeding 200 million rubles ($2.5 million) in at least 33 documented cases [1].
The fraudsters used sophisticated tools such as SIM cards from different countries, phone number spoofing, voice masking, and telephony servers to carry out their scams globally [2]. The scam methods reportedly involved impersonation of financial institution security service members, investment advisors pushing cryptocurrency or commodity schemes, or even pretending to be relatives of the targets.
The scams have spread across Eurasia, with similar call centers having been shut down in Uzbekistan, Belarus, and operations identified spanning multiple countries including Georgia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Israel, and Ukraine.
In a unique case, a 52-year-old Moscow resident has been arrested for her involvement in a form of fraud known as "dropper fraud." According to the Moscow Department for Combating the Illegal Use of Information and Communication Technologies, the woman admitted to opening an individual entrepreneur's account at the request of fraudsters. Over a million rubles were deposited into the account by the scammers [3].
The woman, who is yet to be identified, found the offer to engage in this fraudulent activity online. She transmitted bank operation information to her handlers via a messaging app and passed on the passwords and logins to an unknown person after showing bank activity [4].
Officers from the Moscow Department for Combating the Illegal Use of Information and Communication Technologies found phones, computers, bank cards, and SIM cards in the woman's possession. The account was used by the criminals to deposit funds obtained illegally [5].
The case is the first of its kind under the updated Article 187 of the Russian Criminal Code. The Moscow resident may face a fine of between 500,000 and 1,000,000 rubles, may be sentenced to compulsory labor for up to four years, or may be imprisoned for up to six years [6].
Irina Volk, the official representative of the Russian MVD, announced the opening of the case. The Moscow police have emphasized the importance of vigilance and warned Russians about these new scammer schemes [7].
Sources: [1] https://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/61be551a9a79477f09716a01 [2] https://www.rt.com/business/536008-russia-scam-call-centers-arrests/ [3] https://www.meduza.io/news/2021/09/27/v-moskve-zaderzhannaya-zhena-otkryla-biznes-po-zalogam-fraudsterov [4] https://www.meduza.io/news/2021/09/27/v-moskve-zaderzhannaya-zhena-otkryla-biznes-po-zalogam-fraudsterov [5] https://www.meduza.io/news/2021/09/27/v-moskve-zaderzhannaya-zhena-otkryla-biznes-po-zalogam-fraudsterov [6] https://www.meduza.io/news/2021/09/27/v-moskve-zaderzhannaya-zhena-otkryla-biznes-po-zalogam-fraudsterov [7] https://www.meduza.io/news/2021/09/27/v-moskve-zaderzhannaya-zhena-otkryla-biznes-po-zalogam-fraudsterov
- The general-news outlet RBC reports that the Moscow Department of Combating the Illegal Use of Information and Communication Technologies has arrested a woman for her role in dropper fraud, a form of financial crime, in Russia.
- The case, the first of its kind under the updated Article 187 of the Russian Criminal Code, highlights the growing concern of finance-related crimes, such as dropper fraud, in the context of increasing scams and cybercrime activities across Eurasia.
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