Cyberscammers: Virtual Robbery on the Rise | RT Documentary

As most services transferred online, scammers did the same. So now thieves don’t have to risk breaking into people’s houses. Instead, they can steal from the comfort of their own homes. In 2021, the damage inflicted by phone fraud in the US was estimated at almost $30 billion.

Usually, scammers call claiming they are bank employees or online-store managers. Sometimes, they offer loans or new services. People may receive a voice message or an e-mail saying, “You are entitled to a Microsoft payment” or “Someone is buying stuff using your Amazon account.” In this case, they force people to give up their crest card information, and once they have it, the victim is doomed. Sometimes scammers go as far as introducing themselves as officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Prosecutor’s Office, asking for help to solve a case by making a transfer to a third party’s account.

Not everyone is so gullible and ready to take the bait. Some bloggers deliberately get to talking to scammers. They record the conversation, making fun of them, and sometimes, if the prankster is skilled enough, it is the scammer who ends up scammed.

These blogs are top-rated since people like to see frauds getting punished. But such a job is not always safe. The most famous bloggers are eventually recognised by the deceived scammers and are often threatened and hunted.