YEREVAN, November 5. /ARKA/. The Central Bank of Armenia has recently received reports of a new financial fraud scheme in which criminals visit citizens’ apartments posing as employees of utility companies, the regulator’s press service reported.
Specifically, unknown individuals, posing as utility company employees, contact citizens under the pretext of providing services or conducting inspections, and then visit their apartments.
During face-to-face communication, the fraudsters mislead citizens and gain access to their personal data. They then use this data to register, identify, and remotely verify their identity, including by taking facial photographs, in the mobile apps of financial institutions operating in Armenia.
As a result, without the knowledge or consent of the citizens, they open accounts at various banks and use their personal data to remotely issue consumer loans. This leads to unforeseen financial obligations for citizens, while the loan funds received are immediately transferred to third-party bank accounts.
Central Bank Recommendations
The Central Bank of Armenia urges citizens to exercise extreme vigilance and take the following precautions to protect themselves from financial fraud:
Check the identity of “employees” visiting them. Request documents from individuals claiming to be employees of a company confirming their employment with that company and/or contacting the company using the phone numbers listed on the official website.
Do not provide documents, personal information, or banking information. Do not share personal information, passwords, one-time verification codes (OTPs) received via SMS, or personal documents, including identification documents, with others.
Do not allow others to register using your personal information. Do not allow your information to be used on unfamiliar, incomprehensible, or inaccessible platforms, especially from devices not owned by you, or to allow photographs or videos of your face.
Contact your bank immediately if you suspect fraud. If you encounter any suspicious situations or suspected fraud, you should contact the relevant bank to block your banking apps or account transactions, and also contact law enforcement.
