A pensioner gave almost a million rubles to scammers, despite warnings.

      This time it was a 77-year-old resident of the regional center. It all started in February with a call to her landline. The caller introduced himself as an employee of the telecommunications company and asked for her passport details to extend her contract. The woman provided them.

      For the next month and a half, she received calls from someone posing as an FSB officer and a lawyer. They convinced her that due to a leak of personal data, her savings were in danger and needed to be withdrawn and transferred to a "safe account." At some point, the pensioner believed them and withdrew money from two bank accounts.

      The first attempt to send the funds through a communication salon ended unsuccessfully—the staff at the location realized in time and explained to the woman that she was being scammed. That time, the money was saved.

      But the criminals did not back down. Two days later, they came up with a new scheme: she needed to meet with a "specially authorized employee of the tax service" and hand over the money in person. Late in the evening, a man came to the pensioner's home, gave the required name, and she handed him a bag with 980,000 rubles.

      Only three days later did she realize what had happened. A criminal case has been initiated, and the identities of the callers and the courier are being established.