Scammers Cash In on Fuel Crisis in Kuzbass

The fuel crisis has brought not only higher prices and queues at gas stations to Kuzbass, but also those who want to cash in on others« misfortune. On Tuesday, July 21, the regional police press service told how money is being stolen from residents through fake gasoline-related scams.

According to the statement, two Kuzbass residents, aged 44 and 53, contacted law enforcement. The men said they had pre-installed apps from the internet on their phones that supposedly tracked the fuel availability situation across the region. After that, attackers gained access to their services and stole a total of 80,000 rubles (approximately $850 at current rates) from their bank cards.

Investigators from the police departments in Novokuznetsk and Anzhero-Sudzhensk have opened two criminal cases on suspicion of theft. The maximum penalty for this crime is six years in prison.

Experts once again remind and advise that you should not download unknown applications from unverified websites or via suspicious links. If that does happen, you should disconnect the device from the internet, delete the application, check your accounts, and reset the phone to factory settings. You should also contact the bank to block cards and change passwords.

Recently, a call center was discovered in the regional capital where residents were being cheated out of huge sums via phone calls.