A Sverdlovsk campaigner against phone scammers revealed the percentage of cases solved.

      Sverdlovsk fighter against telephone scammers named the clearance rate

      October 28, 2025

      The clearance rate for telephone fraud is only 10%. This was reported at a press conference in Yekaterinburg dedicated to preventing crimes involving citizens’ money by the head of the department for combating cybercrime of the Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Sverdlovsk Region, Igor Sutyagin.

      “Clearance is low, 10%,” Igor Sutyagin admitted. “The crime is committed under conditions of anonymity, the participants in the criminal scheme generally do not know each other personally, are located in different regions, and communicate with each other via messengers. This complicates detection.”

      Contrary to common belief, not all calls come from the territory of Ukraine; there are groups operating within Russia as well. Crimes involving the latter are solved more often.

      The picture of cybercrimes committed against residents of the Sverdlovsk Region does not differ from other regions, Igor Sutyagin noted. Mostly it is possible to detain couriers — “runners.” As a rule, these are young people aged 17 to 30, eager for “easy” money. But other categories are also encountered, in particular people who themselves previously became victims. Under the pretext of returning funds, they are coerced into going to collect money from others.

      The migration of Russians to Max did not overly complicate the task for scammers, who had begun preparing in advance for the ban on calls via WhatsApp Messenger and Telegram. The state is developing countermeasures, but scammers are also working on how to overcome the emerging obstacles.

      Now they have to act through front people in whose names Max accounts are registered. But the fact that messenger registration takes place in Russia rather than abroad somewhat eases the operatives’ work.

      Igor Sutyagin answered journalists’ question about how scammers manage to transfer cash obtained through fraud abroad. According to him, the cash withdrawn from ATMs is converted by criminals into “crypto.”

      The Main Directorate representative also reported that the preventive work being carried out in society to counter fraud is bearing fruit.

      “When we call people to tell them about scammers, half of them simply hang up,” Igor Sutyagin said. “But — only half. The rest are suggestible and are ready to listen to what they are told on the phone.”

      Finally, the fighter against scammers gave additional advice to citizens.

      1. Talk to children so that the child, if something happens, is not afraid to tell their parents.

      2. Develop critical thinking. Verify information with several sources (call the organization the caller claims to represent).

      3. If you hear or find out that a loan has been taken out in your name, do not act on the scammers’ instructions. First contact the bank, and then the police. If you did not take out the loan, you will have to prove it, but it is possible.

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