Debt is stolen by payment: why scammers transfer money to Russians
An unexpected transfer to a card may not be a gift, but part of a fraudulent scheme, the Interior Ministry warned about this. Attackers use such transfers to add another link to the chain of cashing out funds or, after receiving a reverse transfer, to intimidate potential victims. For more information about why scammers transfer money to Russians, what distinguishes such schemes from intruders and how to protect yourself from them, read the Izvestia article.
What is known about money transfers from scammers
The Department for Combating the Illegal Use of Information and Communication Technologies (UBK) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia reported in its Telegram channel that an unexpected transfer to a card may not be a gift, but part of a fraudulent scheme.
"Attackers can use such transfers to add another link to the chain of cashing out funds or, after receiving a reverse transfer, begin to intimidate a citizen under the pretext of financing terrorist organizations," the UBC noted.
For attackers, money transfer schemes are convenient because they allow them to create the illusion of a trusting financial relationship with the victim, says the head of BI in an interview with Izvestia.ZONE AntiFraud Alexey Luzhnov. When a person returns "random" money, they actually form a positive transfer history with the fraudster. In the future, attackers can use this to avoid arousing suspicion from banks during new transactions.
The key calculation of criminals is based on the psychological characteristics of people — they assume that most citizens will act "according to their conscience" and return the amount received without hindrance, adds Konstantin Gorbunov, a leading expert on network threats and web developer of the Security Code company. And against those who refused to voluntarily return the funds, fraudsters use additional methods of influence, such as threats from law enforcement agencies.
How scammers use "random" transfers in 2025
In 2025, more and more Russians are facing accidental transfers from strangers to their own account, experts from the Angara MTDR brand protection department say in an interview with Izvestia. Large amounts come from unknown persons, followed by a phone call or SMS in which the sender informs that he allegedly made a mistake in the account or phone number, and asks the recipient to transfer the money to the "correct" account.
— Thus, the citizen is included in the scheme for the legalization of money obtained by criminal means, — experts note.
At the same time, one of the fraudulent scenarios looks like this: after an "erroneous" transfer, the victim is intimidated, claiming that her account is allegedly connected with the financing of illegal organizations, says Alexey Luzhnov. Under this pretext, the attackers are forced to transfer funds to other accounts or transfer a "refund" in cash through couriers.
If the victim agrees to make a transfer to the banking details specified by the fraudster, she actually becomes a dropper — an accomplice in laundering illegally obtained funds, explains Konstantin Gorbunov. This entails serious legal consequences, as such transactions are monitored by financial monitoring.
What schemes of fraudsters with the transfer of funds have been encountered before
Earlier, BI.ZONE AntiFraud specialists recorded schemes with SMS messages about fake receipts of funds to a bank card or phone number, says Alexey Luzhnov. There were no actual deposits, but the victim was manipulated into returning the "erroneous amount" to the sender.
"It was only after the transfer that the person realized that the original notification was fake, and his funds had gone into the hands of fraudsters," the Izvestia source notes.
In turn, experts from the Angara MTDR brand protection department recall that before the start of active actions by the regulator and law enforcement agencies against droppers, fraudsters used a large number of schemes related to financial transactions in one way or another.
In particular, potential victims were offered to open a bank account, issue a card, and transfer banking details, access rights, and cards to certain "trusted people" for a small fee. The number of cards and accounts was not limited by the law and fraudsters. In addition, the attackers carried out actions in the "bring a friend" format. Fraudsters were rewarded for involving friends and acquaintances in the scheme described above with account opening, card processing and transfer of their details.
The scammers also offered part-time jobs to teenagers and young people, which consisted of issuing bank cards in their own name and then transferring them to third parties, experts say. The attackers also offered to receive cash from their victims and transfer it to their account in order to transfer money to the accounts indicated by the criminals for a small percentage of the amount.
Who are the targets and what are the dangers of money transfer schemes?
The main audience of scammers is older people, but young people who actively study the news agenda on current cyber threats may also be among the victims of money transfer schemes, says Alexey Luzhnov. At the same time, as Konstantin Gorbunov notes, first of all, intruders are interested in bona fide citizens whose bank accounts had not previously been noticed in illegal activities and were missing from databases as related to droppery.
"Such users are of the greatest interest to criminals, since their transactions do not automatically arouse suspicion in the financial monitoring systems of banks," explains Izvestia's interlocutor.
Many of these people respond to requests from senders who have "got the wrong number" and are ready to refund their money. However, as a result, bank cardholders become accomplices in criminal money laundering schemes and face the threat of criminal punishment.
"There can be many legends and variations in such schemes, so it is important for users to always remain vigilant, and in case of receiving an erroneous payment, contact their bank and ask them to cancel this transfer," says Sergey Golovanov, chief expert at Kaspersky Lab.
How to protect yourself from fraud schemes involving the transfer of funds
If you allegedly received funds from an unknown sender on your card, employees of the UBK of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia advise you to follow a certain algorithm of actions. First of all, check the receipt — make sure that the money is actually credited to your account.
"Sometimes scammers send fake notifications about transfers," the police warn. — At the same time, check the balance only through the official mobile bank or website. Then contact your bank immediately via the hotline, in-app chat, or office. The bank will register the request and verify the source of the transfer.
As noted in UBK, it is very important not to use the funds received. Even if the amount is small, its expense can still be recognized as unjustified enrichment, which will entail the obligation to return the money and possible legal costs. At the same time, never refund the transfer yourself: if someone reports that they "mistakenly transferred the money" and asks for it to be returned to other banking details, this may be part of a fraudulent scheme. Therefore, all refund operations are carried out only through the bank.
By the way, some banks provide a secure "refund of an erroneous transfer" function right in the application. This eliminates the transfer of data to outsiders and protects against counterfeiting. Finally, record the messages and contacts related to the transfer — they may be useful during the proceedings. By following these recommendations, you will minimize risks and protect yourself, UBK concludes.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
