Bank employees successfully rescue over 600 customers from potential predators
In a proactive move to combat fraud, Sberbank's Security Department in southern Russia launched a comprehensive education project for high school students and university students. The aim was to educate young people about common scams and protection methods, as well as raising awareness about the dangers of interacting with scammers.
The project, initiated in 2025, was part of a larger training program designed to equip the younger generation with the knowledge needed to combat the spread of fraud schemes. Sberbank advises its customers to be vigilant, especially when it comes to calls and messages from unknown numbers.
Bank security experts have identified certain phrases that are often used by people under the influence of scammers. These include "I'm not allowed to talk about it", "If I tell you, it'll only make things worse", and "I'm doing everything right, just wait/trust me".
Sberbank's anti-fraud system has proven to be effective, identifying and halting suspicious operations in nearly 600 cases in just 8 months, saving over 500 million rubles. The savings were most significant in Kuban (192 million rubles), followed by Crimea (132 million), the Rostov region (90 million), Stavropol (82 million), North Ossetia-Alania (28 million), Kabardino-Balkaria (16 million), and Adygea (8.5 million).
Unfortunately, young people and teenagers are becoming more vulnerable to scams. There has been an increase in their involvement in 'mule' schemes. Changes in a person's behaviour can indicate they are being scammed. Signs to look out for include becoming secretive, anxious, or withdrawn, spending more time online and alone, buying new smartphones and SIM cards, ignoring calls and messages, forgetting about important plans, returning home later, or suddenly leaving or ordering a courier.
The top 5 schemes that southerners most often fall for include "rescuing" a relative or colleague supposedly in trouble, transferring money to a "safe account", "confirming" personal data, "updating" an app, and "profitably" investing money.
If you suspect a loved one is being scammed, it's important to stay calm and act quickly. Suggest discussing the situation. If talking doesn't help, accompany them to the nearest bank branch under any pretext, or call the police. Remember, it's always better to be safe than sorry.
