Remote Real Estate Fraud: A Current Social Threat and Responses

In the context of the digitalization of the modern economy and society, criminal methods of remotely acquiring citizens’ property through fraudulent means are coming to the fore. Criminals are increasingly using information and telecommunications technologies to carry out criminal activities due to the existing difficulties in finding and identifying them. The government’s current measures to combat remote crime are only just beginning to yield results. However, in this area there is an obvious lag in law enforcement practice. This concerns both the criminal law sphere and individual civil institutions. This creates difficulties in protecting and restoring the rights of victims in such cases. The «Dolina effect» has created ambiguity in law enforcement practice. A number of civil law institutions regulating the real estate transactions are under threat. The growing popularity of «babushka» («granny’s») schemes negatively impacts the stability of the real estate market. The author’s analysis of investigative and judicial practice make it possible to identify the main problems that law enforcement officers face in protecting the rights of victims of remote fraud. The ways of resolving conflict situations in this area are given.

1. V Dume zayavili o volne vozvratov kvartir prodavtsam posle dela Dolinoy // URL: https://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/6928e45e9a79476d40c2218b?ysclid=mizm8sqrjn557955296 (data obrashcheniya: 10.12.2025).

2. V MVD nazvali chislo kvartir, pokhishchennykh telefonnymi moshennikami // URL: https://realty.rbc.ru/news/6920690f9a79470a0a50d8f1?from=copy (data obrashcheniya: 10.12.2025).

3. V Peterburge sud vpervye presek kvartirnyy spor po «skheme Dolinoy» // URL: https://life.ru/p/1819833 (data obrashcheniya: 10.12.2025).

4. Dobrosovestnyy, no bez kvartiry: pokupatel budet pod zashchitoy ot moshennicheskikh skhem // URL: https://dzen.ru/a/aRRgI6mz3nz5ed6o?ysclid=mj03p56vvo976532434 (data obrashcheniya: 10.12.2025).

5. Zashchitit prava vsekh storon: kak zakonodatel obezopasit dobrosovestnykh pokupateley kvartir // URL: https://dzen.ru/a/aS21WIP5dFYdsM7V?ysclid=mj03qbncu8189336329 (data obrashcheniya: 10.12.2025).

6. Kupil kvartiru — ostalsya ni s chem: kak tatarstantsy teryayut vse pri pokupke zhilya // URL: https://www.evening-kazan.ru/obshhestvo/articles/kupil-kvartiru---ostalsya-ni-s-chem-kak-tatarstancy-teryayut-vsepri-pokupke-zhilya?utm_source=yandex.ru&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=yandex.ru&utm_referrer=yandex.ru (data obrashcheniya: 03.12.2025).

7. Muzhchina prodal kvartiru po «babushkinoy skheme» i vernul ee cherez sud // URL: https://ren.tv/news/vRossii/1386755-muzhchina-pytalsia-vernut-prodannuiu-im-kvartiru?ysclid=mizlku2x7v235609442 (data obrashcheniya: 11.12.2025).

8. Ne vozvrashchat kvartiru, poka ne vernet dengi: kak zashchityat pokupateley zhilya ot «zhertv moshennikov» // URL: https://www.kp.ru/daily/27746.5/5174057/?ysclid=mizjjfw9rg682570581 (data obrashcheniya: 10.12.2025).

9. Protiv proizvola rieltorov predlozhili vvesti mery: na sushchestvuyushchie problemy ukazali v Gosdume // URL: https://rg.ru/2026/01/15/v-gosdume-predlozhili-mery-protiv-proizvola-rieltorov.html (data obrashcheniya: 11.12.2025).

10. Riski pokupki kvartiry u pozhilykh lyudey // URL: https://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/6928e45e9a79476d40c2218b?ysclid=mizm8sqrjn557955296 (data obrashcheniya: 10.12.2025).

11. Rosreestr predlozhil ne vozvrashchat kvartiry zhertvam moshennikov bez vozvrata deneg // URL: https://vz.ru/news/2025/11/22/1375644.html (data obrashcheniya: 10.11.2025).

12. Safuanov F. S., Shirokova V. V. Kompleksnaya sudebnaya psikhologo-psikhiatricheskaya ekspertiza zhertv telefonnogo moshennichestva: ekspertnye otsenki // Psikhologiya i pravo. — 2025. — T. 15. — № 2. — S. 3–18.

13. Sdelka pod vliyaniem obmana: kak izmenit podkhod k sporam o nedvizhimosti // URL: https://realty.rbc.ru/news/69170f579a7947ed6a320947 (data obrashcheniya: 10.12.2025).

14. Sud otkazal vzyskivat ubytki s Larisy Dolinoy v dele o kvartire // URL: https://dzen.ru/a/aUDRkuj8yzbxow0F?ysclid=mj8783a9h838082726 (data obrashcheniya: 10.12.2025).

15. Sud Yakutii vpervye otkazal pensionerke v vozvrate kvartiry // URL: https://vz.ru/news/2025/11/17/1374258. html (data obrashcheniya: 10.11.2025).

16. Cheremushkinskaya mezhrayonnaya prokuratura v sudebnom poryadke dobilas priznaniya nedeystvitelnym dogovora kupli-prodazhi kvartiry moskvichki, postradavshey ot deystviy moshennikov // URL: https://moskva. bezformata.com/listnews/dogovora-kupli-prodazhi-kvartiri/128030296/ (data obrashcheniya: 03.12.2025).

17. Etogo nedostatochno: v Gildii rieltorov otsenili proekt obyazatelnykh strakhovok i notariusa dlya sdelok // URL: https://dzen.ru/a/aSQVnVJLY2cMhpwt?ysclid=mizwv4qwg4575145725 (data obrashcheniya: 10.12.2025).