From Meter Checks to a Trip to Moscow: How Tatiana Involuntarily Became a Courier for Fraudsters — A Detailed Story
Journalists meet the woman at the Investigative Committee Department for Minsk Region. Tatiana immediately explains: her main goal is to tell her story. She very much hopes that this will help other people avoid falling into the hands of fraudsters, reports Mlyn.by.
— In early December, around 11:00 AM, I received a call on my home phone. A man introduced himself as a water utility specialist, and I knew that meter verification was due soon, so I started talking. Everything was to the point, his voice quite convincing; he said, 'Our technicians will contact you, and in the meantime, let's verify the contract.' I ran, quickly grabbed the papers, and gave the number.
He confirmed and said: 'Please turn over the contract, we also need to verify your personal data.' I immediately became a little wary, as I understand that you shouldn't give such information to strangers.
But he somehow convinced me, saying that I didn't need to give the series or passport number, only the personal number. I gave it. Not immediately, but I did. The man repeated that a technician would contact me and hung up.
— Literally at that same second, I received a video call on Viber. Usually, I'm very cautious; I always look at the number, and if the country code isn't ours, I never answer. Here I saw +375, meaning Belarusian, so I picked up.
A man with a well-trained voice said: "I am a representative of the Investigative Committee, Major Kurylchuk. Tatiana Konstantinovna, you were just talking to fraudsters."
He addressed me by my first name and patronymic, as is proper. I saw the uniform, that blue shirt, the office background. And I believed that law enforcement was speaking with me. He continued: "You understand, there are many fraudsters now, be vigilant. A representative of the National Bank will speak with you now."
— Immediately, someone named Vorontsov called and said that loans had just been taken out in my name at one of the banks; his employees were clarifying their number, and then they would inform me of everything. He said, 'The loan processing is still ongoing.'
At this point, of course, I was in a complete state of shock, because all my money was in my pension card and salary card. He asked which bank I used. I had nothing to hide, I said I had two cards and named the bank. He said — 'we will check where the funds went, don't hang up, another person will connect with us now.'
Tatiana — A Suspect in a Fraud Case
— Indeed, another person connected. I was convinced that people were working, monitoring my situation, and what was generally happening.
Someone named Gerasimov, supposedly a lawyer from the National Bank, connected and said: 'Now I will send you my document so you can believe that I am indeed an employee.' He sent a certificate; it looked realistic, with a photograph. But how could I know what a real document should look like? You don't often deal with such organizations in life. He said that two loans had been taken out in my name. I even wrote down the amount in my notebook: the first – 17 thousand something, the second – more than 14 thousand. And he said that everything was happening very, very quickly — and these monies, meaning the loans taken out in my name, had already gone abroad. I was very scared.
— The next call was from a fake KGB officer. Also a video call, he asked: 'Do you see me?' And I was flustered, saying: 'I see you!', and thinking — lieutenant colonel or colonel? I didn't see any epaulets. But his speech was absolutely perfectly delivered: he articulated words, everything precise, clear. I had no doubt that this was a representative of the authorities — everything was so convincing, even down to 'I have the honor.' He said, while the National Bank is dealing with your loan situation, I will now send you a document – an agreement for joint work. You will need to cooperate with the authorities, you will work as a freelance KGB officer. I will now send you a letter with instructions.
— A letter arrived. At the top were my surname, first name, patronymic, there were stamps, everything as it should be. And I, accustomed to trusting authorities and feeling obliged to help, naturally agreed to catch fraudsters. Then the 'National Bank' called, again this Mr. Vorontsov. He said — you need to write a statement, I will send a sample. He sent a file. I copied it by hand according to the sample, photographed it, and sent it back. And only then did I realize and understand: I had provided them with my personal number and all my passport data there. But that day I sent everything — because I thought I was an employee, helping the investigation.
— The 'National Bank representative' informed me that 'lending on my line has been stopped,' reassuring me that I wouldn't have to pay back these almost 30 thousand rubles, and that no one else could take out any more loans in my name, because my card had been blocked by them. I got scared and said — wait, blocked how? All my funds are there, how will I live?
— Then the fraudsters told me to take time off work: because we had a lot of things to do with them. They convinced me that I had to follow instructions, that we were working together as a team. They warned me that I would have to travel to another city and strongly asked me not to tell anyone anything, because a 'special operation' was underway. I'm not talkative by nature. And when you cooperate with such agencies, of course, you keep quiet. I have an adult daughter living in another country, but it never even crossed my mind to call her. Why bother her? To share the joy that I'm a freelance KGB officer?! Now, of course, I deeply regret it.
— During all these numerous conversations, the fraudsters asked if I had any money at home. Currency, any savings. I said — yes, I have 18 thousand Russian rubles left over from a trip, and 200 dollars that I keep 'just in case.' They said that if the real amount was larger — I should admit it, and they would help 'declare' the money. I replied that the amount was exactly that, and I had nothing more to declare. Now I understand that this way he probed what role I could be useful to them in, and, realizing that it was impossible to get money from me (there simply wasn't any), they decided to use me differently.
— All on edge, I took time off work, citing health reasons. The night was a nightmare; I barely slept. In the morning, around 10 o'clock, they called me. Another supposed employee of the National Bank. He introduced himself to me, saying — I will be working with you, as Vorontsov is dealing with other matters due to family circumstances, asking me to stay in touch, not to put my phone away, and to fully charge it. He even kindly allowed me to sleep for an hour, because I was very worried specifically about helping law enforcement properly. I was very concerned that they had found not the most suitable candidate to help, reassuring myself that I must cope with any questions and tasks.
— During the next call, it turned out that I would have to go to Moscow, with a train at 9:45 PM, but before that, I still needed to do something. They repeatedly told me — don't tell anyone anything! They told me to withdraw 500 rubles from my own card, for which they promised to unblock it, giving permission to buy groceries and pay for mobile communication and internet. All expenses, even the smallest ones, I had to record; they promised to reimburse them later, including two days taken at my own expense. 'Perhaps we'll even send a thank you to your workplace,' added the fraudster.
— I quickly got ready, showed my bag, he approved, saying, 'You can go with this bag, you don't need much.' He told me to take our 500 rubles and those 18 thousand Russian ones with me. I wasn't allowed to drop the call, nor speak with anyone. They called a taxi for me, which I then paid for with my own cash.
— The first address was in the Minsk district. I say the code word, in response a young man also says a word and hands me a bundle. Without looking, I put it in my bag. They told me these were some 'assets of the victims.' Another taxi, we go to Matusevich Street in Minsk. I stand, a car arrives, an elderly woman gets out, she's talking on the phone, apparently also receiving some instructions. We exchange code words, she gives me a package, which I also put in my bag. Next, I'm instructed to activate roaming at the nearest mobile store; I do this and then head to the train station. They constantly repeat how well I'm doing, such a good job, meticulously following their instructions. They told me to buy a ticket and contact them once I was on the train car.
— I sat on the train, calm, with a sense of duty fulfilled. A compartment neighbor came in, and suddenly a young man in civilian clothes, but accompanied by people in uniform, asked me to show what was in my bag. And, probably, at that moment I didn't fully, but started to understand what was happening.
Article 209 of the Criminal Code (Fraud) provides for punishment ranging from a fine / community service to imprisonment for up to 10 years — depending on the amount of damage and circumstances.
He said he was removing me from the train and offered to return the ticket. 'Only,' I told him, 'show me your ID just in case, because I don't trust anyone anymore.'
And we went to the police station…
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