33 financial pyramids discovered in the Moscow region

Last year, 30 organizations were found with registration in Moscow and with obvious signs of a financial pyramid. Plus, three more similar organizations were found in the region.

This is almost three times less than a year earlier: in 2021, 95 pyramid schemes were identified in the same Moscow region. But do not relax: most likely, this means that such illegal organizations are “moving to the Internet.” In addition, they are actively switching to cryptocurrency. Moreover, this began to spread to offline pyramids.

— Previously, in the offices of physical presence, fraudsters mainly accepted cash, — comments Anton Saikin, head of the Department for Combating Illegal Activities of the Main Directorate of the Bank of Russia for the Central Federal District. — But now they have begun to accept funds also in cryptocurrency.

In total, in Moscow and the region in 2022, 216 organizations were identified with signs of illegal activity in the financial market. At first glance, this is the same as in 2021, but their field of activity has changed quite a lot. For example, in 2021, 115 illegal creditors were identified, and in 2022 – already 177. Of these, 118 are in Moscow, 59 are in the region.

– Illegal creditors in Moscow and the region acted quite conservatively, – says Anton Saikin. – Basically, they were disguised as pawnshops, worked as a commission, and also issued consumer loans, hiding behind a leaseback scheme. This is especially true for Moscow.

For example, Trust-Avto-Group LLC and Life Leasing LLC worked under the leaseback scheme.

Contacting “black creditors” is dangerous, as they act outside the legal field, they can commit forgery of documents, overestimate interest rates, and take illegal measures against debtors in case of delay in payments. In addition, illegal creditors are often focused not on repaying the debt, but on seizing the property of borrowers.

“Most often this happens in leaseback schemes, for sure, many have seen ads like “loans under title,” explains Anton Saikin. – Under the guise of a legal leasing scheme, when a company gives a loan to entrepreneurs secured by property – most often a car – illegal participants under the guise of “leaseback” actually issue a loan to individuals, thereby violating the law on consumer credit. And in case of the slightest delay, they can seize the car.

Let us explain: leasing secured by property is legal when it concerns two legal entities. But an individual is protected by the law on consumer credit, and it is impossible to involve him in leaseback schemes.

Also, the statistics of the capital region for the past year included three organizations with identified signs of illegal participants in the securities market, two operators of investment platforms and one entity with signs of illegal activity in the insurance market.

“The growth in the number of identified entities is associated with the optimization by the Bank of Russia of the processes for identifying such organizations,” explains Anton Saikin. – In addition, the rules for admission to the pawnshop market have now changed. Previously, they were registered on a notification basis, and last year requirements were introduced for their inclusion in the register. These requirements are not met by everyone.

Data on all identified organizations were transferred to the prosecutor’s office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Federal Antimonopoly Service and other authorized bodies. In addition, the companies are included in the list of companies with identified signs of illegal activity in the financial market (http://www.cbr.ru/inside/warning-list/), which is posted on the website of the Bank of Russia. To date, it contains information on more than 8.6 thousand subjects with identified signs of illegal activity. With registration in Moscow and the region – more than 500. The list is updated daily.

— Take a balanced approach to the issue of interaction with a financial institution, be vigilant, be sure to check the legality of the company on the website of the Bank of Russia cbr.ru— advises Anton Saikin.

Yana MAYEVSKAYA.

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