Kazakhstan Sees 70.6% Increase in Internet Frauds, Citizens Warned of Scams

Rise in Online Fraud Cases

According to the legal statistics and special records committee of the General Prosecutor’s Office, Kazakhstan has seen a staggering 70.6 percent increase in internet fraud cases last year. In just 11 months of 2020, there were 7 thousand reported cases, compared to 12 thousand in the same period of 2021.

Types of Internet Frauds

Internet fraud is a type of financial scam that uses the internet to deceive victims into parting with their money and property. Fraudsters use various tactics to gain trust, including:

Hacking or copying social media pages
Posing as bank security department officers
Offering assistance in writing off loans for a fee
Taking out online loans using stolen documents and bank cards

Recent Scam Examples

Two recent examples of attempted scams involved:

A 60-year-old Kazakhstani woman who was tricked into transferring 400 thousand tenge (approximately $955) to fraudulent accounts after being called by someone claiming to be a police officer.
Another victim lost 205,000 tenge (approximately $487) when an unknown person gained her trust and asked for her bank card details.

Safety Tips

To stay safe from internet fraudsters, prosecutors warn citizens:

Never pay in advance
Always check the authenticity of websites before entering personal information
Never share bank card details with strangers

Financial experts also advise being vigilant and not giving out personal details unless absolutely necessary. Additional safety rules include:

Not publishing photos of identification cards on social media
Avoiding suspicious links and emails
Not participating in dubious contests and lotteries that demand personal information
Using separate bank cards for online shopping

Combating Pyramid Schemes

The state authorities have created an interagency task force to study global best practices and develop effective measures to counter pyramid schemes. In 2020, investigators identified 217 criminal cases against pyramid scheme organizers, with 116 cases taken to court and 79 suspects held liable.

Special Program to Counter Internet Fraud

The country has also developed a special program to counter internet fraud, including:

Creating groups to combat cybercrimes
Operational-investigations groups in every region staffed with qualified IT experts
Developing effective measures to prevent and prosecute internet frauds

Government Commitment

According to the head of the agency, Yerlan Turgumbaev, the government is taking these crimes seriously and will continue to work towards preventing and prosecuting internet frauds.