Local resident sweeps away fortune amounting to over a million rubles following online dating venture
A 53-year-old local resident in OVD Russia's Knyazhpogostsky District has reported a case of fraud. The individual detailed an encounter with a girl met on a dating platform who suggested making money through investments and recommended contacting "financial advisors" for further guidance. Trusting the individual, the victim took out a loan and transferred three installments of 190,000 rubles, 190,000 rubles, and finally 810,000 rubles to the accounts provided by the alleged advisors. Trying to withdraw the funds resulted in access being blocked. Shortly after, a supposed lawyer contacted the victim, offering assistance in recovering the funds in exchange for an additional 100,000 rubles. After transferring this amount, the "helper" stopped responding, resulting in a loss exceeding one million rubles.
Authorities have launched a criminal investigation based on signs of fraud as laid out in part 4 of article 159 of the Russian Federation's Criminal Code. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Komi advises citizens against trusting strangers offering online earnings guarantees, refraining from transferring money to individuals met online, and being wary of any attempts to recover stolen funds from supposed helpers—these are common tactics in fraudulent schemes.
Online dating fraud schemes in Russia often follow a similar pattern, involving building emotional connections before extracting money under false pretenses (Hefty, 2021; Ridley, 2020). The scammer typically creates a fake profile, establishes trust and emotional intimacy with the victim through multiple emails, invites voice contact, and invents crises to request financial assistance, often lasting months or even years. Scammers use a combination of fake profiles, staged communications, and consistent requests for money to manipulate their victims (Hefty, 2021; Ridley, 2020).
While the provided enrichment data may provide a detailed examination of the broader pattern, it was not directly relevant to the report of this specific case in Knyazhpogostsky District. The key takeaway from the case is the warning issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs regarding the potential risks of online dating frauds and the importance of caution when encountering strangers offering financial opportunities.
- In the general news, the case of fraud in OVD Russia's Knyazhpogostsky District serves as a personal-finance warning, highlighting the risks associated with trusting strangers met online who promise financial gains.
- The criminal investigation initiated in the Knyazhpogostsky District underscores the relevance of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' advice against online transactions with unknown individuals, stressing the significance of personal-finance prudence in the face of escalating online dating fraud schemes.
