Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports that the Justice Ministry has warned of a new type of telephone fraud.
According to the agency, the deception takes place in two stages. first, someone who pretends to be an employee of the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Investigative Committee, etc., calls and reports that the citizen was on the list of victims in some very large criminal case. This is good news: since a person is promised compensation in the future. It is only necessary to write a statement to the official authorities with a request to provide a free lawyer. At the first stage, the citizen does not suffer any financial losses, but only wonders at the strange call. Then the “free lawyer” calls, allegedly appointed by the state. Under various pretexts, he lures money for “legal costs”. He asks to transfer a certain amount to the “accounts of the courts”.
It is said that the Ministry of Justice received thousands of applications from residents of different regions with a request to provide a free lawyer to represent interests as a victim. It is specified that such criminal cases never existed.
It is explained that the scammers managed to replace the caller’s number with the real number of the ministry.
To protect yourself, follow the main principle: no money for free lawyers. They want to help and pay, let them help and pay.
And know that a lawyer from the state is not allowed to be a victim in criminal cases, but only to suspects and accused. In addition, no true free legal assistance program provides for calling with a persistent offer of services.