A pensioner from Nizhny Novgorod handed 1 million rubles to scammers in a vacuum cleaner box.

      14 September 2025 11:12

      [198]

      Incidents An 89-year-old resident of the Sovetsky District of Nizhny Novgorod became a victim of telephone scammers who "worked on" him for several days posing as various agencies.

      According to the press service of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, unknown callers phoned the pensioner, first posing as employees of a company that replaces intercoms, then as representatives of the military prosecutor’s office and lawyers.

      Over two days the scammers convinced the pensioner that his savings were in danger and urged him to urgently declare them. The elderly man handed all his savings to an arriving courier — which he had placed in a phone box and then in a vacuum cleaner box. The amount of the loss totaled 1,055,000 rubles.

      A criminal case has been opened under Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud). The police are conducting an investigation.

      Law enforcement representatives urge citizens to be vigilant and not to disclose personal data about accounts, bank cards, and property to strangers. With suspicious calls it is recommended to end the conversation and not follow their instructions. Genuine government employees do not request confidential information or demand financial transactions. If you suspect unauthorized withdrawals from your account, you should contact your bank.

      Recall that in Nizhny Novgorod an 81-year-old woman lost nearly 2 million rubles after communicating with telephone fraudsters who presented themselves as law enforcement officers and the military prosecutor’s office. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has a Telegram channel. Subscribe to stay informed of the main events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999–2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain 18+ materials.