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The government of Russia is warning residents to be on guard against phone scammers from Ukraine who trick elderly Russians into setting fire to military enlistment offices after a recent surge in such arson attacks around the country, state media reported Tuesday.
Moscow’s interior ministry issued a caution that a “sharp increase” in firebombings at registration offices were all linked by variations on the same scam, according to RIA Novosti. “They not only steal the money of deceived Russians, but also try to involve them in committing sabotage and terrorist acts,” the ministry said.
Since the end of July, over three dozen military registration and enlistment offices have gone up in flames around Russia, according to Meduza. Many of the people subsequently detained and accused of the attacks say they were duped by fraudsters who gave them instructions while claiming to be officers with Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).