"You have the wrong module!" Gangs of false energetics rob gullible citizens

Julia Suntsova

The rip-off is aimed, of course, at the elderly.

Most of them are very scared and nervous because of the pieces of paper with the words "debt" or "violation". And the whole reference to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation categorically cuts off all doubts.

Filkin's diploma is stylistically forged under a notice from Mosenergo, only the name is different – consonant: "Moscow Electric Grid Company".

A logo is drawn in the corner of the notification, and it is almost identical to the logo of the real Mosenergo. There is a blue "seal" and "signature", a barcode, a stamp allegedly stating that this letter is REPEATED. The word "REPEATED" screams with capslock and red ink, obviously intimidating the recipient with the prospect of a trial.

What exactly do scammers-spammers want?

"We inform you that according to the results of the inspection by the controller, it was revealed that your automatic switches model AE 1031 have signs of technical inconsistency, according to paragraph 20 of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated April 3, 2013 No. 290 FZ "On Fire Safety" with amendments and additions dated June 29, 2020," the notification says..

Further – a call to action: "We recommend that you replace the circuit breakers within 30 days from the moment of detection of signs of failure in order to avoid a fire-hazardous situation. To agree on the date and time of the arrival of an electrician, to get advice on replacing circuit breakers, you can call the electrical department 8 (495)281-51-14".

There is a "seal" on the notification, at least without degrees of protection, without specifying the organizational and legal form and the state registration number of the organization. The pseudo-controller Vasiliev A.N. signs the threat paper.

By the imitation of the name, by the strange printing and spelling errors, in principle, it is clear that scammers are operating.

But these subtleties are not at all obvious to elderly gullible people.

We call the specified number under the guise of a resident.

An employee of the Moscow Electric Grid Company picks up the phone, introduces herself as Natalia.

The woman is sure - because of my faulty circuit breakers, a fire-hazardous situation is created in the house, of course, they need to be replaced immediately. The price of the question is 4500 rubles.

Natalia asks for the address, pauses, pretends to search the database and happily declares that a panel inspection of my apartment was carried out on March 14. After all, all employees in this company have superpowers!... We checked the dashboard at a non-existent and never-existed address! (I named a fictional one, there is no such thing in Moscow).

But, about happiness, just today their electrician Alexey Astakhov is working next to this non-existent address, and he is ready to drive up at my request, that's lucky, within an hour.

I ask a question – how could their specialists conduct a panel inspection on March 14, if my panel is located in a vestibule for two apartments, locked by a separate door. The neighbors are fervently confident that there has definitely been no electrician for the last six months, and I have not seen him in my eyes.

Natalia is lost: "I don't know, we have a note that there was".

- All the works, of course (!) are coordinated with the city services, - Natalia continues

- With Mosenergo?

- Of course, with Mosenergo.

- But you have another name.

- Everything is agreed.

- Natalia, you understand that you are now acting as part of a criminal group and when the time comes, you will be charged with large-scale fraud, the term will be long.

- F*** you!, - Natalia sends specifically to three well-known letters and hangs up.

Tact. Excerpt. Client orientation. 

Soviet AE1031 assault rifles in apartment buildings are really gradually becoming obsolete. However, a similar ABB machine costs in the range of 250-500 rubles apiece (for three counters - a maximum of 1500 rubles) + the work of the master is a maximum of 1000 rubles for the market, in total no more than 2500 rubles. But the Moscow Electric Grid Company, judging by the reviews of already affected people, puts less high-quality TDM-electrician machines, and the replacement of the machines takes a maximum of 10 minutes, and the light in the apartment after that appears even without connecting the machine!

"The trick is that the photo shows that the machines are turned off, while there is light in the apartment. An electrician from the management company connected our apartment directly to the network without an introductory machine, and a new miracle electrician (Moscow Electric Grid Company) just came, took off the old machine and stupidly put a new one in its place, not even bothering to turn it on", - writes one of the deceived company.

Pseudoelectrics thus create a serious fire threat.

But this is not the worst outcome, which can be in the stories with the replacement of machines and counters. Many malefactors use artificially inflated fear only as a pretext for further deception of citizens. They get into the apartments of pensioners, after which they lose their savings and valuables.

"Prevention of windows", "gas checks", "water meters". The arsenal of scammers-"utilities" is limitless.

The most surprising thing is that after several large embezzlements from pensioners, it is not difficult to install the "electricians" who went to the call on the entrance cameras. You can make a control purchase, catch "operators" who also serve the interests of the criminal network.

By the way, someone is detained from time to time. But the head of the Snake Gorynych continues to feel at ease. For years, the company has been working on the same patterns, without even changing work phones and notification templates. The victims are the most vulnerable segments of society – elderly people living alone.

Here are just a few criminal reports:

On November 28, 2022, the Moscow police announced the arrest of three false electricians. Five people, including elderly people, suffered from the actions of the 38-year–old organizer and his accomplices - a 48-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man in the North-Western District of Moscow.

"Malefactors under the guise of employees of a well-known power supply company informed citizens about the need to replace allegedly broken automatic machines and outdated electric meters. The scammers convinced that the new electricity meters have a mandatory function of remote readings.The victims, trusting strangers, agreed to the installation and paid for the service.

As a result, the accomplices replaced the devices in the switchboards with cheaper and lower quality ones, while naming a price that exceeded their real value. Later, the citizens realized that they had been deceived and contacted the police. The total material damage exceeded 50 thousand rubles," the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation reports.

On March 9, 2021, two 31-year-old men were detained in the South-Eastern District of Moscow, who stole a briefcase with 120 thousand rubles from an 83-year-old pensioner.The crooks who introduced themselves as electricians entered the apartment of an elderly woman, examined the devices and recommended installing a voltage stabilizer.

In addition to charging for services (which, by the way, were not provided), the men took with them a briefcase in which the pensioner kept money, phone and documents. The amount of damage amounted to 120 thousand rubles.

After some time, the operatives detained these thieves in the Tver region. "It has been established that the attackers, not being electricians, misled the applicant. In the process of communication, the suspects saw where the pensioner was getting money from and, without carrying out any work, they took payment from the pensioner and stole a briefcase with cash."On February 25, 2021, again in the South-Eastern District and North-Western circles of the capital, employees of the Department of Economic Security and Anti-corruption detained eight members of the group suspected of fraud on the topic of "electric meters".

Two companies were registered by a native of the Magadan region. "The names were consonant with the names of the organization that is the supplier of electricity in the Moscow region." During the search, specialized clothing, badges and certificates of the established sample were even seized from this gang.

"The accomplices acted according to a previously worked-out scheme.

They were looking for apartment owners, mostly elderly, and came to their homes. Posing as employees of the energy company, the attackers reported a malfunction of the equipment installed in the electrical panel on the apartment site. At the same time, the suspects brought these electrical appliances into disrepair in advance (!). In case of refusal of installation, they threatened gullible citizens with penalties (!!). The work of false electricians was estimated from 6 to 21 thousand rubles for each service, which is many times higher than the average market value," the Ministry of Internal Affairs reports.

In all such cases, the attackers are charged with Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – fraud on a PARTICULARLY LARGE SCALE. But here's the bad luck: most of the accused choose a measure of restraint in the FORM OF A SUBSCRIPTION NOT TO LEAVE AND PROPER BEHAVIOR. People remain free until the trial, and by the time of the verdict, the term of the imposed punishment may be closed by the measure of restraint already served. In the common people, this is called "almost justified."

The paradox of the whole situation is that all the power grid equipment located outside your apartment belongs to the communal property, which means it is repaired and replaced at the expense of the management company. Workers of service organizations come and eliminate accidents and damages at the request of 0 rubles and zero kopecks, Exactly like water supply and sanitation, all plumbing located behind your valve, that is, on communal risers – communal property. You have already paid for all emergency and repair work a hundred times in advance. Replacement of faulty/unusable/outdated equipment is provided for by service contracts, which you pay by paying a monthly fee for general household needs. In other words, maintenance of one is included in the cost of electricity, heat, water sold to you.

Anastasia Grebenyuk, lawyer:

- On the basis of Article 543 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, an energy marketing organization is indeed obliged to ensure the proper technical condition and safety of power grids used by consumers.

Management companies, in turn, are obliged to organize the prevention of fires from electrical equipment in residential and public buildings, they are called upon to do this by the Recommendations of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of 07.04.2022. But it's one thing to check the resource supply and management companies, and it's quite another thing for scammers operating under the guise of city services.

It is best, when any inspectors appear on your doorstep, to call your management and (or) resource-supplying organization by work phones (you need to find out them in advance, also current contacts are indicated on your monthly payments). Do not let workers into the apartment until the official representatives of the resource supply or management company confirm that the declared works are carried out in your house. If the inspectors claim that the equipment needs to be changed due to its unsuitability, ask for technical inspection protocols that confirm this. Almost all repairs of the communal property are paid by the management company!

If your management company does not confirm the work, it is necessary to report fraud to the police.

Remember that:

• Prevention of compliance of electrical circuits with actual operational ones is carried out at least once every 2 years.
• Verification of protective shutdown devices - at least 1 time per quarter.
• For other protection devices, it is recommended to check at least once a quarter.
• It is recommended to check the condition of thermal indicators and thermal systems 1 time per quarter.
• Thermal imaging diagnostics of electrical equipment is recommended to be carried out at least once a year.

According to the results of the inspection, a Technical protocol and a report must be drawn up. The availability of certified special equipment is only one component of a properly conducted inspection. In addition, measurements should be carried out by trained employees who have the right to carry out special work, the appropriate electrical safety group (not lower than III) when working on 1 kV electrical installations.

If these works are carried out more often or you are not given a technical protocol, and the competence of the workers is in doubt – all these are signs that you could become victims of fraudsters.

Tell your elderly relatives about the nuances of inspections. Try to ensure that all inspections and replacement of equipment in their apartments are carried out only by official city services and under your supervision.