Published on: 2026-08-24
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The topic of investments has long attracted interest among city dwellers, both young people and older generations. Often, city residents seek to multiply their savings without possessing sufficient knowledge and skills, which frequently benefits fraudsters. Recently, there has also been an emergence of new specific schemes aimed precisely at young Muscovites, who are drawn into pseudo-investments through online games, promises of easy earnings on cryptocurrencies, and token purchases. Experts from the project “Call me back yourself” they explained how to protect money and avoid falling victim to fraudsters in the investment sphere.
“Scammers expertly disguise themselves as brokers, financial advisors, and even romantic partners on dating apps, turning the topic of investments into the perfect ground for deception. However, their main weapon is not complex schemes but the elementary manipulation of human psychology. The most dangerous phrase in their arsenal sounds deceptively simple: ‘Start with a small amount.’ For a person, this seems like a risk-free step, an opportunity to try. But for the scammer, the first transfer is not income but a diagnostic tool. It is a test of controllability and trust. As soon as a person overcomes the psychological barrier and parts with even a symbolic sum, their perception changes: the fear of losing what has already been invested and the desire to recover activate. From that moment, the fraudulent pressure multiplies many times over, and the amount of the next payments grows exponentially,” said Valentina Shilina, head of the “Call Yourself Back” project of the capital
Today, the vast majority of pseudo-investment projects and financial pyramids accept contributions in cryptocurrency. Malefactors actively exploit technological trends: they disguise themselves as blockchain startups and promise guaranteed profits from automated trading using “super-smart” AI bots and neural networks, behind which there is actually no functioning product.
Muscovites also face danger on dating platforms, where the so-called romantic investment scam thrives. Scammers create realistic profiles using artificial intelligence, gain the user’s trust through flirting, and then subtly offer to teach them how to earn money, sending links to fake platforms and crypto exchanges.
Another typical scam scheme starts with flashy banners on social networks, promising super-profits — from 50 to more than 100 percent per annum without risk compared to regular bank rates or viral deepfake videos where faces of famous people are generated by neural networks. The user is lured to a fake clone website that perfectly copies the design of a legitimate exchange, bank, or broker.
Next, the scammers persuade the victim to enter personal data and download an application not from the official store, but via a link. To create the illusion of profit, the user is assigned a manager who persistently offers advice, while the platform artificially inflates the figures of their income.
After a successful start, the user is pressured to make new investments. If they try to stop, they face pressure: they are convinced to take out a loan or sell property, threatened with account blocking and loss of all profits. When attempting to withdraw earned money on fake crypto exchanges, the user is required to pay nonexistent fees, insurance, legalization tax, or undergo paid verification, after which all contact with the curator is completely cut off.
Often, scammers use job search websites, inviting people to the offices of successful investors and promising to turn them into professionals well-versed in the field of securities. In reality, citizens are persuaded to take out million-dollar loans, and their money is transferred to the organizers’ personal bank cards or converted into cryptocurrency.
Experts from the “Call Back Yourself” project recommend carefully checking addresses and links: suspicious websites often have addresses that differ from official ones by a single letter, and genuine letters from banks come only from official domains. It is important to remember that programs can only be downloaded through app stores or the company’s official website. Links from emails and messengers are a sure sign of fraud.
If you are being rushed to make a decision, pressured to act immediately because you might miss a unique opportunity, this is a clear sign of a fraudulent scheme, as are promises of returns exceeding 30–50 percent per annum. High returns are always associated with high risks, and there are no guarantees of safety.
Legal companies never ask to transfer money to individuals’ cards, electronic wallets, or cryptocurrency accounts. Payments are accepted only to the company’s own accounts, experts of the “Call Back Yourself” project remind.
Before investing funds, it is necessary to check the broker’s or management company’s license in the official registers on the Central Bank’s website through the “Check Financial Organization” service, since cooperation with an illegal company can lead to a complete loss of funds.
In addition, project experts recommend spending time on basic education in the investment field before investing money. This will help understand what can be invested in and distinguish real offers from fraudulent ones. At the same time, it is important to remember that no reputable specialist will recommend a client to go into debt or sell property for guaranteed earnings.
More about how scammers operate in the investment sector can be found in special report on the “Call Back Yourself” project website.
Information online project “Call me back yourself” created in 2022 by the Government of Moscow together with the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation for the city of Moscow. It helps residents of the capital protect themselves and their loved ones from phone and internet fraud. The project’s website contains information about upcoming in-person and online events, as well as experts’ memos and recommendations, and recordings of past ones webinars and other useful materials. For the convenience of users, lecture recordings can be watched on the project’s website, as well as on the page in the social network “VKontakte” and on Rutube channel.
The main components of the “Call Back Yourself” project are simple and clear expert advice, relevant stories, and a convenient format. The events analyze real stories of victims, highlight scammers’ techniques, and also explain how to behave correctly in such situations.
The creation and maintenance of information security tools, as well as counteraction against cyber fraud, correspond to the objectives of the national project “Data Economy and Digital Transformation of the State”. More about Russia’s national projects and the capital’s contribution can be found at special page.
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Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It represents an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.