On the basis of the reports about the apparent crime submitted by many persons, more than a dozen criminal proceedings were initiated in the investigation department of the Yerevan City Investigation Department of the RA Investigative Committee in the Arabkir Administrative District on the cases of fraudulently embezzling different amounts of money under the pretext of highly profitable currency exchange.
The CC informs that the study of the materials of the mentioned criminal proceedings proves that a specific criminal mechanism is being used. In particular, advertisements are placed on various social platforms by an unidentified person/persons regarding the exchange of foreign currency at a rate much higher than the rate set by the Central Bank of RA. indicating as a means of feedback mostly foreign phone numbers of WatsApp and Telegram applications, which, in fact, are not monitored by the RA communication operators and do not have registration in the name of any person.
Citizens give in to the lure of the beneficial service offered in the advertisement and establish contact with these persons on the specified phone numbers. After reaching an agreement on the exchange of currency, the criminals offer to approach the parking lot of the "Rio Mall" shopping center operating in Yerevan.
Then, citing that he cannot appear in person due to his employment, and his relative will come instead, the citizens are asked to transfer the money to the latter, who will, as it were, exchange the currency and return the exchanged money back.
In the meantime, the criminal(s) call and contact the drivers or the people who provide taxi services on electronic platforms and applications, and mislead them to use their services at an exorbitantly high fare.
Having obtained the consent of the drivers, the criminal/s/ direct them to also approach the parking lot of the said shopping center, allegedly in order to transfer their guests from there to any of the recognized hotels operating in Yerevan, and then to "Zvartnots" airport.
And the citizens who want to exchange currency and fall into their trap are asked to approach the car parked in the specified place, indicating the car make, registration number, and the name of the driver as his substitute relative. When the victimized citizens approach the drivers, the criminal establishes contact with them, asking them to transporting his guest or guests to the specified places, taking the appropriate amount from them, entering the shopping center and transferring the amount to the person indicated by him.
Citizens, approaching the car, without making additional clarifications, transfer the money they brought with them for the purpose of exchange to the drivers, and the latter, according to the agreement, entering the shopping center, transfer the money to another person.
During that time, the citizens are waiting for the driver in the car salon, which also inspires confidence in the latter that they are dealing with a relative of the person who contacted them.
I find out about the fact that both the people exchanging foreign currency and the taxi drivers are victims of crime only when the latter return without money and make the relevant clarifications in the car interior, after which they turn to the law enforcement agencies. the persons whose drivers transfer the money after entering the shopping center were also the persons providing the paid service with cars, who, not being informed about the criminal intentions of the person or persons who contacted them and having made an agreement with him about the provision of services at a high rent, received at the latter's request transfer the money and transfer it to another person in different places of Yerevan where there are no video recording devices.
The investigation revealed that the total damage caused to the victims of the said fraud scheme amounts to 65,000 US dollars and about 11,000,000 Russian rubles. The investigation is ongoing.
Necessary measures are being taken to identify the person(s) involved in criminal activity. The relevant police department has been instructed.
Bearing in mind that other persons may also fall into the trap of the mentioned fraud scheme, as well as the fact that the lack of physical and visual contact between the victims and the criminals, the fact that virtual phone numbers are used significantly complicate the identification of the person or persons who committed the crime, the RA Investigative Committee urges the citizens .
refrain from entering into such relations with strangers who make such tempting offers that have no real basis on the basis of Internet advertisements, and even more so avoid revealing their identity in physical presence, before transferring the money to any person, find out the latter's identity, relationship with the persons who contacted them in advance and at the specified place purposes of stay, to use state-licensed exchange points or banking services.
