The Bank of Russia gave a list of signs of a financial pyramid

The Bank of Russia has classified organizations with signs of financial pyramids. About this informed the head office for countering malpractice in the open market, Bank of Russia Valery Lyakh.

According to him, today in the crosshairs of the crooks who call themselves "financial agents" are citizens, debtors of banks and microfinance institutions. They offer services either on refinancing of overdue loans, either by co-financing. These "financial agents", telling the Central Bank, argue that organized investment projects to generate enough to repay the loan income. By signing the contract, they undertake to repay the debt of the physical person on the loan before the Bank or MFI. Instead, the client sends the agent the money in the amount of 20-35% of the total debt. These funds are in the contract as payment for services of the agent.

After this "financial agent", typically produces several payments to repay the debt to demonstrate "good faith" performance of their obligations and attract new customers. And then disappear, leaving the borrower with outstanding debts.

Another similar scheme, which describes the Central Bank, called "Razdelitel". As a rule, the main condition for the provision of such services is the payment by the borrower organization giving as a percentage of its debt to the Bank. For 25-30 percent of the loan amount deposited to the account of the organization, the debtors propose to enter into a contract of co-financing. As a result, to return the debt to the Bank is not necessary. In fact, legally transfer the debt to another person is permitted only with the consent of the lender. As long as the banks do not know about what is happening with their borrowers.

Fear is and organizations that use massive advertising on the Internet.

Especially with promises of very high returns. So, according to the Bank, now intensified aggressive advertising Internet sites, financial projects, working under the name "MMM".

The Internet really is full of ads like "Money to me!", "How, investing $ 10, earn a million in a week?". At - risk debtors, pupils, students, women on maternity leave, pensioners, inexperienced users, office workers with low incomes and low levels of financial literacy. The pyramids are usually built on the principles when the income of one member is formed by investments that it attracts new participants, said the officer of the Central Bank.

The Bank of Russia recommends citizens to exercise "caution and refrain from concluding contracts with dubious companies."

According to experts, in a crisis, when the risk of pyramid schemes is growing, the Central Bank should not be limited to one-time alerts, and organize specific scheme of "divorce" of citizens from different regions of the country. "It is changing the approach of the regulator to seriously improve the financial literacy of citizens," - says the partner of FinExpertiza" Natalia Borzov. According to her, it is not necessary to consider the pyramids of companies offering assistance in repayment of loans or raising funds of citizens. You need to look at what their business is based, under which interest attract money, how long the credit term," - said the expert.

At the same time, pay attention Borzov, now increases the risk of information leaks by unscrupulous employees of banks or collection agencies about borrowers who are in difficult situation. Access to such personal data are crooks, whether by mobile phones or by email in advance of intended victims offers on instant earnings or loans. "The suggestions fall on fertile soil, people caught in the credit bondage, entangled in it deeper" - warns Natalia Borzov. In her opinion, such financial "quagmire" and they all have to be not only the Central Bank, they should be widely informed citizens.

Project Manager of the National Agency for financial studies (NAFI) Irina Lobanova also that the role of the Central Bank in the prevention of dangerous schemes increased. And offers to create one at special section of the mega-regulator, which would have concentrated the data about the websites offering a quick and questionable pyramidal earnings online.

What to pay attention not to fall into the trap of scammers

1. The proposals on the profitability of the investments - if the percentage is much higher than the average offer on the market, the probability of loss of such investment high.

2. In the absence of obvious signs of economic organization. For example, it is promises high interest in short period of time by investing in higher yielding capital market instruments. But it turns out that in fact the organization does not trade on the exchange and the payment of the promised interest is by attracting the money of new participants.

3. In the absence of a license of the Central Bank to carry out activities on attraction of money resources of the population.

4. To guarantee profitability, and it is prohibited in the securities market.

5. To massive advertising in the media and on the Internet with the promise of high returns and the absence of any information about the financial situation of the organization.