Russian woman loses over 9 million rubles in fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme., 2026/03/28 09:47:30

A 26-year-old deputy director of a children’s store in Achinsk transferred 9.3 million rubles to fraudsters, hoping to profit from cryptocurrency transactions, as reported by the Krasnoyarsk Krai prosecutor’s office.

According to the agency, in December 2025, the woman was looking for ways to increase her income and came across an online offer for earning through cryptocurrency resale. After clicking on the link, she was contacted by a man who introduced himself as a “leading specialist.”

Over the first two months, she transferred amounts around 40,000 rubles and successfully withdrew funds, which created a sense of trust in the service. She was then encouraged to upgrade to a higher level and purchase a “silver” package. Following this, the woman deposited 240,000 rubles. In February 2026, she took out a loan for 600,000 rubles and transferred the funds to the platform.

When her account balance reached $25,000, she attempted to withdraw her money, but was informed that she needed to pay a “insurance” fee of $3,000. After refusing, her account access was blocked.

Under the pretense of refunding her money, the fraudsters convinced her to involve family members. Following their instructions, the woman set up a cryptocurrency wallet for her mother, who then transferred 537,000 rubles. Later, her stepfather was drawn into the scheme, being persuaded to act as a “guarantor.” He transferred 4 million rubles, then 3.2 million, and later another 800,000 rubles.

The total loss amounted to 9.3 million rubles. A criminal case has been initiated regarding the incident under Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud).

A similar case was previously recorded in the Murmansk region: a resident of the city of Polyarnye Zori lost approximately 3.5 million rubles while attempting to invest in cryptocurrency and encountered a scheme involving a fake lawyer.