“Mom, put the money on your phone. Then I'll call you back! - such SMS-ki often come to the phones of Russian cellular subscribers. And calls from relatives who allegedly got into trouble have become the talk of the town. However, despite the fact that different cases have already been described more than once, telephone fraud does not subside. And what is even stranger - the number of victims is not decreasing.
Phone fraud is a new type of fraud that criminals carry out using a mobile or landline phone. Most often, the goal of scammers is to extort money from the victim. Moreover, this type of fraud is practically not punishable.
According to statistics, telephone fraud is one of the lucrative types of offenses. Punishment for these actions does not follow for the simple reason that the amounts are asked for rather small, for which no one will turn to the authorities.
What methods are used by phone scammers
If you receive an SMS of questionable content, do not rush to transfer money immediately. Don't be surprised if you can't reach the person who sent you a message asking for help. This is due to the fact that scammers are quite well equipped technically and use special plugs that do not give a call signal to the subscriber's phone.
It is better to protect yourself in advance by agreeing with your family about any secret details: words, phrases, etc., which you will use if you really need help. In other cases, you should not react.
Try not to respond to SMS messages of this kind. If the thirst for justice rages in your blood, write a statement to the police. True, it is not at all a fact that they will consider it, because there is no corpus delicti - you did not give the money.
As for the calls to the phone with the story that this is an investigator, and your relative knocked down someone and urgently needs money, you need to reason in such a situation very soberly. Even if the voice of the caller may be very similar to the voice of your loved one. Try to get through to him and find out if everything is in order. Do not hesitate to call loved ones with whom he may be close. After all, you are trying to find out the truth.
Calls from phone scammers usually take place at night. This is due to the fact that so they are trying to confuse you, because when awake, a person cannot think soberly. So pull yourself together and don't panic.
What to do
If you understand that the SMS is fake, the only thing you can do is call your mobile operator and inform him about the fraud and the number from which you received the message. As a rule, the operator blocks such a subscriber.
In a more difficult situation, for example, if you transferred money, you will need to write a statement to the mobile operator asking for a refund. True, it is possible to count on the reimbursement of lost funds only if the money transfer was carried out within the same network.
In case they call you and require a ride to a certain amount, in order to save a relative from trouble, you need to immediately hang up. Remember that no police officer will ask you for a bribe, especially over the phone.
Situations when fraudsters lured out a fairly large amount are not uncommon. Gullible retirees are usually the victims. In this situation, you do not need to think about where to go, but immediately go to the police.
