Stand-up comedian Andrey Beburishvili, who lost five million rubles to elaborate fraudsters, has now disclosed the intricate details of the deception and the subsequent police investigation.
The Russian comedian shared these insights during a candid interview with journalist Karen Adamyan, which was published on VKontakte. Beburishvili’s harrowing account highlights the sophisticated tactics employed by cybercriminals and the rapid movement of stolen funds.
The Investigation Unfolds
Following the incident, Beburishvili promptly contacted the police, leading to the immediate initiation of a criminal case. According to the comedian, law enforcement officials informed him that the transferred funds are remarkably quickly converted into Bitcoin and moved, purportedly to Ukraine, within a mere 30 to 42 minutes.
The humorist further revealed a significant breakthrough in the case: the police successfully identified the courier responsible for collecting the money. The individual turned out to be a 17-year-old Russian citizen. Beburishvili personally attended the identification procedure.
“By the time of the court hearing, he had turned 18. He will likely face an adult prison sentence. I even feel a certain degree of pity for him,” the artist confessed, reflecting on the courier’s fate.
Tactics of Deception
Recalling the moment of the scam itself, Beburishvili emphasized that the fraudsters employed intense scare tactics, giving him virtually no time to rationalize or think clearly. He recounted how the criminals managed to completely isolate him, keeping him on the phone for approximately nine consecutive hours.
“I only managed to hang up the phone when I was physically at the bank. You simply don`t get a chance to process what`s happening. If one operator senses that you`re starting to waver, they immediately switch you to another, who then pulls you back into their narrative. Sooner or later, you begin to believe what they’re telling you,” the comedian explained, detailing the psychological manipulation.
How the Scam Began
Andrey Beburishvili first publicly disclosed being a victim of fraud in March. The elaborate scam initiated with a call purportedly from «Russian Post.» During this call, he was cunningly tricked into dictating an SMS verification code, which inadvertently granted the scammers access to his «Gosuslugi» (Public Services) account. Subsequently, the fraudsters, masquerading as official government representatives, convinced him that he needed to take urgent action to prevent his money from being illicitly used to fund the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).
