Russia’s Cyber Police Warn of Marketplace ‘Split’ Purchase Scam
The Interior Ministry says impostors posing as partner‑program recruiters lure people into placing high‑value instalment orders that leave the debt in the buyer’s name.
Overview
- The MVD’s cyber unit described a scheme in which scammers promise easy earnings and instruct targets to buy expensive electronics on instalment in their own name.
- Once an order is confirmed, communication stops, the goods are routed to addresses controlled by the perpetrators, and repayment obligations remain with the victim.
- Officials say the script can vary, with fraudsters sometimes promising or even transferring an initial instalment to lower suspicion and build trust.
- Authorities emphasized that these pitches are unrelated to legitimate marketplace partner programs and are intended to shift financial liability to the buyer.
- The agency flagged requests for a split limit or account screenshots as clear signs of fraud and urged consumers to exercise caution.