Police in the Mangystau region have shut down a criminal group suspected of large-scale online fraud. According to preliminary data, the perpetrators stole 133 million tenge from Kazakh citizens.
As reported by Polisia.kz, in October two local residents filed complaints with the regional police department's investigative unit. The victims claim that unknown individuals, posing as employees of the National Security Committee (KNB) and the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan, fraudulently obtained their money.
During operational search activities, the investigation established that the victims' money passed through the accounts of approximately 20 intermediaries (droppers), most of whom are students at Almaty universities.
It is reported that the funds were eventually transferred to two suspected organisers of the scheme. The suspects were arrested and placed in a temporary detention facility.
For context, in March, Majilis deputy Unzila Shapak reported that in 2023, the total amount of stolen funds and loans taken out in citizens' names by fake police officers and fake bankers was 21 billion tenge.
In April, it became known that a resident of Aktobe took out loans worth 7 million tenge in her own name after receiving a call from fraudsters. She was contacted by unknown individuals who posed as employees of the KNB and the National Bank.