Russian Pensioners Lose Life Savings in Elaborate State-Impersonation Scam
Russian authorities have issued a warning about a sophisticated scam targeting pensioners. Fraudsters are tricking victims into handing over their life savings by posing as officials offering pension increases. The scheme involves multiple deceptive calls and false claims about state protocols.
The scam begins with a call from someone pretending to be an HR representative from the victim’s former employer. They claim there’s a pending pension increase and ask for an SMS verification code to process it. Once they gain access to the victim’s accounts—either through Gosuslugi or online banking—they move to the next stage.
The fraudster then calls again, this time impersonating an FSB investigator. They allege that the victim’s money is under investigation and must be transferred to a state office to draft a ‘seizure protocol.’ The scammer insists the operation is confidential and forbids the victim from telling anyone. In a final twist, the criminal pretends to be a Central Bank of Russia employee. They claim the funds in the account belong to the state and must be moved immediately. The victim, believing the money will be returned, complies—only to lose everything. Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Budget and Taxes, Kaplan Panesh, has urged citizens to stay vigilant. He highlighted that scammers exploit trust in official institutions to steal savings.
The scam leaves victims with no way to recover their lost funds. Authorities are advising pensioners to verify any unexpected calls about pensions or state procedures. Officials stress that no legitimate agency will ever demand secret transfers or verification codes over the phone.
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