From Ridus.ru:
A network of fake terminals have been collecting 15 billion roubles [£325 million, 375 million €] per month in central Russia
More than 100 police officers and special forces soldiers arrested one organiser and four leaders of a criminal society who organised a network of counterfeit payment terminals in Moscow, as well as in towns in the Moscow, Smolensk, Vladimir, Tver, and Kaluga Oblasts.
Radio “Mayak” report that the 15 billion roubles were collected monthly from 2,500 fake payment terminals. We know that the organisation was divided into four structural units, totalling more than 150 people.
The first was the financial cell, who collected money from the terminals and carried out operations on the accounts of companies they controlled without cash. The second were in charge of finding new locations for terminals and renting them, as well as monitoring the work of the terminals. The members of the third group, made up of more than 80 people, took payments in cash from the terminals and took them to the financial cell. The fourth department laundered money that clients paid into accounts controlled by the organisation: they funneled money from criminal enterprise and transferred it into the accounts of a number of organisations which offer a variety of services, such as mobile operators, ISPs and utility companies.
A criminal case has been opened under the article on “illegal banking activities” and “organising and belonging to a criminal association”.
Now, the police are calling on people not to use terminals located in dubious public places and on the city streets for the time being, but they have not specified how to distinguish false terminals from real ones. As a minimum, it is suggested that people pay through terminals in mobile phone shops and other stores with registered trademarks.
Comments from Ridus.ru:
1000-pochemu:
15 billion per day %) Serdyukov is smoking nervously in the wings.
Homagium:
Per month ) But on the other hand, why are these terminals suddenly fake? What’s fake about them? It’s not explained.
MAXHO: (responding to above)
They weren’t paying kickbacks to the right people, so they were working without a roof.
[Note: a “roof” in Russian slang means protection, often illegal, obtained via protection rackets or otherwise]
Wilson:
It’s one of two things, either it’s unfair competition or it’s corporate raiding.
romakop:
It’s better to pay via your internet banking, there’s no commission or any other crap.
Mihon:
I don’t understand what we’re talking about terminals for and why they’re fake?
domdom: (responding to above)
Because they looked like they were good, real terminals, but they were fake.
byterbrd:
They were making 6 million roubles [£130,000, 150,000€] per month on each terminal? I call bullshit …
александр-9665:
Something doesn’t quite add up 150,000,000,000/2,500 = 6,000,000 / 30 days = 200,000 roubles [£4,325, 5,000€] per day of profit from one terminal, ABSOLUTE NONSENSE.
Dobryak: (responding to above)
Why profit? We’re talking about turnover. It’s still quite a lot, mind.
Molot:
“[Don’t] use terminals located in dubious public places” – what, toilets?