No SMS codes: scam involves fake courier arrest

Law enforcement officials have uncovered another sophisticated scam. To deceive, they don«t need to learn an SMS code or persuade the victim to transfer money to a »safe« account. Fraudsters now pose as police officers and involve people in a fake »special operation« to arrest scammers. We detail the scheme.

How the scam works

The fraudster calls the potential victim, posing as a law enforcement representative. They say that the police are conducting an operation to catch a group of scammers who are defrauding pensioners. To «help the investigation,» the person is asked to participate in the arrest: hand over their cash savings to a courier, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) reported.

The scammer convinces them that at the moment of handing over the money, the police will arrest the «criminal,» and all funds will be immediately returned to the participant of the «special operation.» In reality, after the victim gives the money, contact with the «police» is cut off — the person is left without their savings.

Be careful: real police officers never ask citizens to participate in operational activities and hand over money through couriers. Any offers to «help with an arrest» are a sign of fraud.

If you receive such calls, you should immediately end the conversation and report the attempted fraud to law enforcement.

Meanwhile, standard scam schemes also continue to operate. Read what to do if you have already given an SMS code to scammers.