Fake bank “employees” scam you out of money at the airport: how to protect yourself

The other day there was information about scammers operating at airports who pretend to be bank employees and “cheat” passengers out of money after issuing a fake credit card. A certain woman fell for their bait: right in the airport hall, she was offered a credit card, and she agreed. As a result, she ran into a fraudster who tried to withdraw money from her account, but, fortunately, he stole little, since the bank stood up to protect the client’s funds. MK found out from banking experts and lawyers how this could even happen and how to protect yourself from such businessmen?

The news was presented as if a new technique was spreading to steal citizens’ funds from their accounts: under the guise of bank employees, scammers find their victims at airports and “con” them for loans. It is reported that in Domodedovo their victim was, oddly enough, a 43-year-old employee of one of the Moscow banks. After registration, the passenger went to the waiting room, where a young man with a Russian bank badge approached her and offered to issue a credit card. The woman resisted for some time, but then agreed. A few minutes later, the “employee” stated that she was denied a credit card. The woman was not particularly upset and went on the plane. However, on the plane she received a message that she had been issued a credit card after all. The “lucky owner” of a new credit product called the bank to find out the details, but they informed her of a fraud: the attacker almost withdrew 150,000 rubles from her card, but, thanks to the bank’s actions, the scammers were able to steal only 15,000 rubles. The woman wrote a statement to the police in the hope that the criminal would be caught.

Experts are confident that such a phenomenon cannot be widespread. It is especially worth noting that in the waiting rooms people should, in theory, be with airline tickets. Is it really possible that the fraudster – there is such a version – is, for example, an airport employee who deals in such an additional “way” of earning money?

Yes, there are representatives of credit institutions in the airport halls, and many of us have noticed them more than once. But they act under an agreement with the airport, pay money for the “rent” of a space where they can advertise their credit products at their counter. In this regard, by the way, Russian banks have taken an example from Western banks, whose representatives can be seen at all airports in the world.

“Let’s start with the fact that in order to get into the waiting room, you need to have the right of access, and this is not so easy,” explained Igor Kostikov, Chairman of the Council of LLC Finpotrebsoyuz, Professor, Doctor of Economics, to MK. – If you start applying for a card at a bank point at the airport, they should have papers on letterhead, a contract, etc. Therefore, in my opinion, this incident looks dubious; but, on the other hand, I can assume that an employee of this bank decided to take advantage of the situation and work for the scammers. But this phenomenon cannot be systematic. The banks themselves would be concerned if fraudsters acted on their behalf and would take action. I have never encountered such complaints. We, of course, don’t really like it when people approach us at airports, but since they stand there and offer their services, it means it’s effective for the bank.

– And yet, what recommendations will help here?

There must be a company stand in the airport hall, the employee must have an appropriate badge, there must be appropriate documentation on the bank’s letterhead that you will be asked to fill out, a contract on company letterhead – in this case you can trust. And if any of this is missing, then it’s better to pass by. Or, if you still feel the urge to apply for a credit card at the airport, then it is advisable to first dial the phone number of this bank and ask the question, do their employees work at such and such an airport? You will be transferred to the appropriate bank service, where you will be given answers to your questions.

The situation seems strange to me: a person’s bank badge does not yet prove that he is really an employee of this bank,” lawyer Konstantin Trapaidze shared his opinion with MK. – Airport security officers usually monitor such things, and bank representatives work at special counters. The airport area is a specially protected area. Moreover, there are CCTV cameras installed everywhere. In my practice, there were cases when a person who stole a wallet at the airport from another passenger, or someone who picked up an ownerless wallet and decided to appropriate it for himself, or when someone decided to take someone else’s package, someone else’s bag – their identities were immediately easily established by video recordings from cameras. Therefore, this situation does not seem very realistic. But, in any case, if such a case really took place, then it would not be difficult for law enforcement agencies to identify a young man with a badge who was catching passengers and collecting personal data from them.