Fake gas service employees deceived 227 Nizhny Novgorod residents out of 3.5 million rubles.

      On July 10, 2026, at 11:40, Incidents In Nizhny Novgorod, the investigation into a criminal case against a group of fraudsters who posed as gas service employees and forced residents to replace their equipment has been completed. Eleven local residents, some of whom had previously been convicted, will stand trial, reported the official representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, Irina Volk. According to the investigation, the scheme operated from January 2024 to March 2025, led by the director of one of the commercial organizations. The accused would come to the apartments of Nizhny Novgorod residents, present themselves as gas service workers, and after inspecting the equipment, claim to have found alleged malfunctions. They then convinced the homeowners to sign contracts for replacing the equipment. The cost of the work was significantly inflated. Those who refused were threatened with fines and gas disconnection. According to the police, 227 residents of Nizhny Novgorod fell victim to the fraudsters. The total damage is estimated at about 3.5 million rubles. The suspects were detained by officers from the economic security and anti-corruption department of police department No. 2 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Nizhny Novgorod. The criminal case under part 4 of article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Fraud") with an approved indictment has now been sent to the Kanavinsky District Court of Nizhny Novgorod. Volk reminded that before letting people who claim to be utility service employees into their homes, it is worth checking whether they really work for that organization. The name and phone number of the company servicing the gas equipment are indicated on the payment receipt. Earlier, in February 2026, 19 participants in a similar fraudulent scheme received prison sentences ranging from one and a half years to 8.5 years. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major 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 materials for 18+.