Yekaterinburg doctor defrauded of over one million rubles
A therapist from Yekaterinburg lost a large sum of money after an online acquaintance.
Police have opened a criminal case under Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (UK RF) (“Fraud on an especially large scale”) against a 42-year-old doctor from Yekaterinburg who lost over a million rubles.
The acquaintance with a woman named Veronica occurred in October of last year on a dating site. “She suggested the man continue communication in a messenger. Moreover, he was not bothered that his new friend«s phone numbers were hidden,” police noted.
“During the correspondence, «Veronica» said that she is engaged in stock market investments and could help him earn money in a similar way,” the department reported.
Succumbing to her urging, the therapist took out a loan of 1.2 million rubles (approximately $12,000 at current rates) and transferred the money to a personal account on a website, the link to which was sent by his new acquaintance.
“Soon, information appeared on the site that the «deposit» began to yield income. In early December, the doctor wanted to withdraw the «profits,» but could not. After some time, a certain «Dmitry,» allegedly from technical support, contacted him and said that to unlock the personal account, another 6 million rubles (approx. $60,000) were needed,” police added.
The man realized he had become a victim of fraud only after the demand for additional funds. For a month, he unsuccessfully tried to contact Dmitry and Veronica.
Law enforcement agencies regularly warn about the dangers of such internet acquaintances and recommend refraining from participating in dubious financial operations.
