According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the number of Internet frauds in Kazakhstan increased almost eight times last month (8240 criminal offenses) compared to January 2022 (1179 criminal offenses). Scammers actively involve young people in their scams, who are often looking for additional opportunities to earn money on the Internet. Specialists of Fingramota.kz talk about these schemes in more detail.

The first scheme

The legend of rapid enrichment

Scammers create special accounts in social networks or messengers (Telegram or WhatsApp), where they offer young people, often students, quick and easy money under various pretexts. For example, due to the geopolitical situation, they cannot withdraw their funds directly from the bank, they have temporary difficulties with money transfers received from relatives or foreign friends, etc. In general, they need help with withdrawing money, and in return they promise a reward. By joining their group in the messenger, young people receive instructions on what to do next. Usually, the attackers first ask them to open one or more bank accounts to which scammers actively transfer money. Further, the potential victim is instructed to withdraw all funds from the accounts and transfer them to one common account, and to keep a small percentage of this amount, for example, 100-150 thousand tenge.

Criminals use youth representatives for their own selfish purposes, as they are ready to do anything to earn extra money, have little life experience and often do not check information. As a result, when law enforcement agencies begin to investigate and identify the entire chain of actions of financial fraudsters, they come out to "poor" students, who eventually receive charges of complicity with fraudsters. For this, young people face a real term. In place of students, of course, there can be anyone who wants to earn extra money online. It should be noted that the punishment for fraud is provided by art. 190 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Tip: Remember that ignorance of the law does not exempt from responsibility. Always be critical of outsiders' offers, especially on social networks, for help or mediation for a fee.

Only scammers can promise easy money and guaranteed remuneration. Do not risk your freedom and do not fall for this method of deception!

The second scheme

The promise of a high-paying job

In the summer, many students are looking for a part-time job. This is what scammers use. The attackers offer students a job "at home" with a good salary, without the requirement of work experience or certain skills. However, in order to find employment, young people need to open a bank account, connect remote services and transfer personal and payment data to employers, ostensibly to transfer wages. As a result, young people are left without work and with new loans, which are issued to them by false employers.

Or another option – scammers hire students and, having built a trusting relationship, offer to open a joint business or take part in a highly profitable investment project. Young people only need to make a small monetary contribution to do this. According to the scammers, all the invested funds will be returned a hundredfold. But many "investors" have neither savings nor savings, and they borrow money from parents, relatives. Or they take out loans from banks or MFOs and give the funds to their "partners". Scammers, having got what they want, disappear with all the money.

 Tip: Often, under the innocent invitation to work of employees without experience ("we will teach ourselves", "assistant manager", "decent salary", etc.), financial fraudsters are hiding who want to steal the personal data of potential employees.

Always read reviews about the company where you plan to find a job, how long it has been operating on the market, consult with your elders when making any financial decisions. And most importantly – do not disclose information about your personal data to anyone.

 The third scheme

Games and applications where you can earn money

One of the new types of financial pyramids are the so-called online investment games, popular among young people. The scheme of deception is as follows: the user must register in some economic project and make a certain monetary contribution. In the "game", which supposedly makes it possible to withdraw money back, he can purchase a certain character or virtual real estate that generates income. The creators of the "game" promise gamers-investors high and easy earnings and additional remuneration for attracting new users. As a rule, young people take out short-term loans, borrow from relatives and actively attract their friends to the false project. As a result, the site is closed one day, and would-be investors remain not only without remuneration, but also without their invested funds.

Scammers also create fake mobile applications of popular online games. And when young people download this application to their phone, they provide scammers with access to their gadget, since some kind of virus is usually downloaded along with the application.

Some scammers redirect the player through a special link to a fake website in order to get hold of his personal data or arrange attacks on the IP address of the person involved in the game. This is how they get to know users' personal information, including payment details.

 Tip: Do not trust offers related to high earnings through online projects where money is taken from you, and also offers to attract people. Such promises can be made by the organizers of financial pyramids. Be always vigilant!

Do not install unverified and unlicensed applications on your gadget. If you still clicked on a questionable link and registered on a phishing site, or perhaps launched a viral application on your phone, then be prepared that scammers will try to contact you. Attackers need your money. For full access to your bank accounts, they need to get information about the payment card and an SMS confirmation code of the operation. For example, fraudsters can call from any number, since there is a number substitution service, and introduce themselves as anyone: law enforcement officers, banks, social services, university, and so on.

The fourth scheme

Alternative investments

Young people keep up with modern technologies and are actively interested in the possibilities of using cryptocurrency. But not all young people are aware of this digital money, its high cost and huge risks. Therefore, scammers have developed a number of schemes related to investments in cryptocurrency. The most popular of them is the method of free giveaways, mailings or messengers, which talks about a unique chance to purchase a particular cryptocurrency at a very low price, with a discount. And this "chance" is given only today, right now. Scammers actively distribute links to download fake applications on the Internet, allegedly to work with cryptocurrency, and also use phishing. On fake sites, scammers are asked to provide financial information, as well as a password from an electronic wallet, a personal account in a banking application.

The desire to earn quickly and with minimal investments, a low level of awareness leads to the fact that novice and inexperienced investors, instead of investing in cryptocurrency, simply transfer money to scammers, which are unlikely to be returned.

Tip: Be as careful as possible when making transactions with cryptocurrencies. Remember that according to the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, cryptocurrency is not a financial instrument and is not included in the perimeter of state regulation as an object of investment. The lack of reliable regulated platforms for trading cryptocurrencies contributes to the simplification of fraudulent actions against potential investors, the loss of personal and card data, as well as funds.

In all the above cases, criminals try to act as quickly as possible until the person comes to his senses and decides to check the information. When young people ask for time, the scammers immediately try to intimidate as much as possible, to put moral pressure so that their victim does not jump off the hook. Therefore, always critically evaluate any information related to various investments, where they guarantee their repayment and promise high profitability; side jobs, where you need to make a cash contribution, and most importantly, do not follow dubious links, even out of idle interest.

If you are still a victim of fraud, then immediately call the bank and block your accounts, and also apply with an official statement to the police department at your place of residence.

Postfactum.kz from Fingramota.kz