A Kirov resident nearly gave scammers 1.3 million rubles.

      In Kirov, a 77-year-old pensioner narrowly avoided becoming a victim of telephone scammers who attempted to steal over 1.2 million rubles. The criminals used a familiar scheme involving meter checks and an alleged hacking of her account on the "Gosuslugi" portal.

      According to the police, an unknown caller first contacted the woman, introducing herself as an employee of a utility company. She informed the pensioner that a technician would soon come to check the electric meter readings. To confirm the request, the caller asked her to provide a code from a text message. The woman complied.

      After that, the Kirov resident received a notification about an alleged hacking of her personal account on the "Gosuslugi" portal, with a suggestion to call a "hotline." A man answered the call, introducing himself as an employee of Rosfinmonitoring. He convinced the pensioner that she had previously spoken with scammers and that her savings were now at risk.

      To "save" her money, the criminal advised her to withdraw all her savings from her accounts and hand them over to an "authorized employee," who would supposedly conduct the necessary checks and then return the funds.

      Believing the caller, the woman applied at the bank to withdraw 1 million 277 thousand rubles. The next day, when she came to collect the cash, the bank employees noticed her agitated state. After a conversation, they convinced the pensioner that she had been communicating with scammers. As a result, the money remained in her account.

      A criminal case has been initiated on the grounds of attempted fraud in a particularly large amount. An investigation is underway. A Kirov resident lost 1.5 million rubles after being offered to join a home chat. In Kirov, a pensioner was saved from losing 300 thousand rubles. The police detained a courier who took 4 million rubles from a pensioner in Sovetsk.