Fraudsters have begun using a new deception scheme in which fake information about providing snow removal and clearing services is spread on social media. About this reported Official representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia Irina Volk on her Telegram channel.
According to Volk, the unusual snowfall created a huge demand for special equipment – which scammers began to use. A representative of the Ministry of Interior explained that the attackers provided fake contracts and accompanying documents to impersonate snow removal workers. Then, they agreed on working days and hours but required payment in advance.
“After receiving the advance payment, the connection was disconnected, accounts and phones were blocked. According to such a simple plan, citizens and businessmen would have lost hundreds of thousands of rubles,” she wrote.
Volk also added that all such employees must be checked through official sources of information – the Uniform State Registry of Legal Entities (USRLE) and the Uniform State Registry of Individual Entrepreneurs (USRIP).
“Meet in person to sign documents. Only advance after signing the contract and use safe forms of payment (for example, letter of credit or payment upon completion of work),” she advised.
