SMS from 1414: what Kazakhstanis should warn their parents about

Tengrinews.kz – Cases of fraud via SMS from the number 1414 have become more frequent in Almaty, with elderly people most often falling victim, reports Polisia.kz.
According to Almaty police, scammers use psychological pressure: after a person receives a code, they get a phone call from fraudsters posing as employees of banks, the postal service, the tax authorities, or law enforcement agencies, and are persuaded to install applications or follow links. The callers claim that the victim’s data have already been stolen and demand that money be transferred or a loan be taken out.

“This is nothing more than a psychological trick. An SMS from the number 1414 does not provide access to loans: banks use their own security systems,” said Anes Kaldybayev, head of the Cybercrime Counteraction Department of the Almaty Police Department.

Most often, the victims are elderly people. Scammers extract money through:

withdrawing deposits and transferring the funds to a so-called “insurance account”;
selling or pawning property via couriers or messengers;
fake offers to buy goods online or to invest with advance payment;
phone calls about a “relative being in a car accident”, creating emotional pressure.

“The main rule is: never share your personal data, card details, or codes with anyone, even if the caller claims to be from a bank or the police. Verify information yourself and do not give in to psychological manipulation,” Anes Kaldybayev emphasized.