Hid in hostels: How scammers tricked 20-year-old Yekaterinburg woman
Details have emerged about the disappearance of 20-year-old Yekaterina from Uralmash. As her relatives suspected, she was hiding from everyone and collecting money on the scammers« instructions.
Yekaterina was intimidated using the scheme: »Your account has been hacked, says the FSB, a special operation is underway, you need to act urgently, transfer all your money to a secure account.«
»She even took money from the cash register of the store where she worked as an administrator. She hid in various hostels, tried to take out loans in her name. They forced her to buy a phone with contactless payment. When the scammers realized there was nothing more to take from her, they sent her to her relatives to find out the status of their accounts. That«s how she got in touch with her family,»
a friend of Yekaterina«s told E1.RU.
The girl is now fine. She will be questioned by police in the near future.
»Officers of Police Department No. 14 are continuing the investigation related to the unknown disappearance of this citizen. During the proceedings, a legal assessment will be given to the actions of the potential wrongdoers involved in her disappearance, as well as to the behavior of the missing person herself,«
the Yekaterinburg Police Department reported.
Police once again remind that scammers constantly change their methods of deceiving citizens. At the same time, it is necessary to emphasize that despite the sophistication of the fraudsters, they can be countered with the simplest rules:
- Do not talk to strangers on the phone;
- Do not disclose any personal data or codes to outsiders;
- Do not transfer or hand over money to unknown persons;
- Personally verify all information received by phone.
Read the E1.RU guide on what to do if a loved one goes missing. We have written about how to protect your child from abduction and how to teach children to never, under any circumstances, go away with strangers. We have also published useful tips that can help understand when someone in front of you needs help.
Read an interview with a criminologist about the most common reasons why children run away from home.
