Scammers in Yoshkar-Ola: Under arrest!

More than a hundred people were detained in the course of a special police operation, which had been held on September 13, 2006 by the Federal Security Service Department of Mari El. The operation was aimed at capturing the Internet scammers who posted introduction profiles on different sites, portraying themselves as women who wanted to get married to foreigners. In those profiles they used other people's photos illegally. Such Mari "fiancees" regularly tapped money from their men, motivating this with the necessity to learn English or paying for the driving lessons.

According to the special services, this criminal business was built on the following scheme. The organizers rented apartments in the quietest districts of Yoshkar-Ola, turned them into small offices, equipping them with satellite Internet access and 7 or 10 computers. The role of "fiancees" corresponding with the foreigners were mostly played by the students, who got 10 or 15% of the amount they managed to tap form the clients.

In the result of the operation, the Federal Security Service Departement discovered 10 apartments, also arrested 8 people suspected as leaders of organized crime group. They are now placed in the detention jail. Large amounts of money were seized.

The case in fraud was brought up in accord with clause 159 on the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The investigation is being held.