Kazakhstan (KZ)
Kazakhstan is the world's ninth-largest country by area and the largest landlocked nation — a vast Central Asian republic stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Altai Mountains, encompassing endless steppes, dramatic canyons, and the remnants of the ancient Silk Road.
Scam Warnings
Common scams targeting expats in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan scams most often target expats unfamiliar with local systems, new arrivals seeking housing, and higher-earning oil-and-gas workers. The Kaspi Bank ecosystem — used for almost all daily digital payments — is heavily targeted by phone and SIM-swap fraud. Digital fraud via WhatsApp and Telegram is the fastest-growing threat: Kazakhstan blocked nearly 85 million fraudulent phone calls in 2025 alone. The capital city has been named Astana since September 2022, when the name Nur-Sultan was officially reverted. Always verify financial service providers with the АРРФР national regulator, employers via the Business Register, and landlords via eGov.kz property extracts.
Kaspi Bank Phone Fraud
criticalScammers call or WhatsApp impersonating Kaspi Bank security staff, claiming your account has been compromised. They request card numbers, CVV codes, one-time SMS passwords (OTP), or ask you to install a "security app" (malware). This is consistently the most prevalent fraud type in Kazakhstan, accounting for the largest share of the National Anti-Fraud Center's caseload. In 2025, the NBK Anti-Fraud Center blocked fraudulent transactions exceeding KZT 2.5 billion.
- - Unsolicited call or WhatsApp message from "Kaspi Bank" asking for OTP, card details, CVV, or remote access
- - Caller creates urgency — "your account will be blocked in minutes if you do not act now"
- - Request to install an app or confirm a code you did not request
- - Caller ID shows Kaspi's real number — this is trivially spoofed
- - Caller already knows your name and partial account details to seem legitimate
Investment Pyramid and Crypto Schemes
criticalPyramid investment schemes and fraudulent crypto platforms advertised via Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram promise 50–200% monthly returns and require recruiting others. False investment schemes account for approximately 19.5% of all fraud cases tracked by the National Anti-Fraud Center. Expats with higher oil-and-gas salaries are frequently targeted. A separate and distinct threat is AIFC/AFSA impersonation: scammers use the legitimate Astana International Financial Centre brand to lend credibility to fake investment platforms.
- - Guaranteed monthly returns above 10% — no legitimate regulated investment guarantees this
- - Pressure to recruit friends and family into the scheme
- - Telegram or WhatsApp-only contact with no verifiable physical office address
- - Platform not licensed by АРРФР (national financial regulator) or AFSA (AIFC regulator)
- - Uses the AIFC or AFSA logo without verifiable registration on afsa.aifc.kz
Fake Job Offers / Labour Trafficking
criticalFraudulent job offers lure victims with high salaries for roles that do not exist. Victims arrive in Kazakhstan with passports confiscated and are forced into criminal operations, including online scam farms. This is part of a broader regional trafficking problem linked to organised cybercrime networks in Central and Southeast Asia.
- - Recruiter requests an upfront fee for visa, job placement, or "training"
- - Employer cannot be verified in the Kazakhstan Business Register (kgd.gov.kz)
- - Salary far above market rate for the stated role and experience level
- - Any request to surrender your passport "for safekeeping" on arrival
- - Role involves working with computers in a compound with restricted movement
Fake Rental Property Listings (Almaty / Astana)
warningFraudulent apartment listings on OLX.kz and Krisha.kz use stolen photos at below-market prices. The "landlord" demands a Kaspi transfer deposit before any viewing, then disappears. Targets new arrivals unfamiliar with Almaty and Astana market prices. Fraudulent real estate agencies collect deposits and agency fees for properties they do not control.
- - Rent price significantly below comparable listings in the same district
- - Landlord refuses in-person meeting or viewing before any payment
- - Insists on Kaspi transfer before signing anything
- - Only contacts via text message and avoids phone or video calls
- - Agency has no verifiable company registration or physical office address
eGov.kz, Kaspi and Halyk Bank Phishing Sites
warningFake websites closely mimic eGov.kz, Kaspi Bank, and Halyk Bank to steal login credentials and EDS (Electronic Digital Signature) passwords. Links are distributed via WhatsApp messages claiming "your document is ready" or "your data needs verification". Social media and messenger fraud accounts for roughly 15.9% of all cases tracked by the National Anti-Fraud Center.
- - URL differs from official site (e.g. "egov-kz.com" instead of "egov.kz")
- - Unexpected WhatsApp or Telegram link from an unknown contact asking you to log in
- - Site asks for your EDS password or full bank credentials in a single session
- - Message creates urgency about a document, fine, or benefit expiring
SIM Swap / Phone Number Fraud
warningCriminals fraudulently transfer your mobile number to a new SIM by presenting your IIN and a copy of your passport to a mobile operator outlet. They then use SMS-based two-factor authentication to access Kaspi Bank and other accounts before you notice the loss of service.
- - Sudden unexpected and complete loss of mobile signal in an area with normal coverage
- - Notifications of account access, password changes, or Kaspi transactions you did not initiate
- - Unable to make calls or send SMS despite appearing to be in coverage
Traffic Police Bribery Demands
warningSome traffic police (ДПС) officers solicit unofficial payments during traffic stops, particularly targeting foreign-plated vehicles and visibly foreign-looking drivers. They allege a traffic violation and suggest an "informal solution" rather than issuing a formal protocol (протокол).
- - Officer suggests you can "sort it out" without formal paperwork
- - No offer of an official fine document (протокол) at the start of the stop
- - Officer selectively targets foreign-plated or visibly foreign vehicles
- - Conversation takes place away from the vehicle's dashcam view
Unofficial Currency Exchange Scams
warningStreet money changers near tourist areas and markets offer slightly better exchange rates but use sleight-of-hand to short-change, pass counterfeit notes, or steal cash during a rapid transaction. Kazakhstan's tenge (KZT) can experience volatility, making "better rate" offers seem plausible.
- - Someone approaches you on the street or in a market offering currency exchange
- - Transaction is conducted quickly in public with distracting conversation
- - Rate offered seems significantly better than any official exchange office
Migration Registration (Propiska) Extortion
infoSome landlords charge excessive fees or withhold migration registration (propiska) as leverage to extract additional payments. Foreigners must register at the local ЦОН (Public Service Centre) within 3 business days of arrival, making new arrivals vulnerable to landlord pressure.
- - Landlord demands ₸30,000–100,000 or more simply to provide the registration paperwork or accompany you to the ЦОН
- - Threatens to "report you to migration police" unless you pay extra
- - Refuses to help with registration unless you agree to additional rent or payment
Unlicensed Taxi Overcharging (Almaty / Astana Airports)
infoUnofficial taxis at Almaty and Astana airports, railway stations, and tourist areas charge foreign-looking passengers 3–10× the app market rate. Drivers proactively approach arrivals claiming apps are unavailable or the wait is very long.
- - Driver approaches you before you have hailed or booked anything
- - Quotes a fixed price without an app booking confirmation
- - Claims Yandex Taxi or InDriver is unavailable, offline, or "too far away"
- - No visible meter or pricing agreement before you enter the vehicle
Reporting
Where to report: Cybercrime Police: dial 102 or file at qamqor.gov.kz. Financial fraud: АРРФР (Agency for Regulation and Development of Financial Market) +7 7172 79 97 98 or gov.kz/memleket/entities/ardfm. AIFC/investment fraud: AFSA at afsa.aifc.kz. Anti-corruption: Agency hotline 1477 or ardc.gov.kz. National Bank of Kazakhstan Anti-Fraud Center: nationalbank.kz. Trafficking: +7 727 394 24 00.
Consumer helpline: Consumer Protection Agency (AZRK): azrk.kz — online complaint portal. Kaspi Bank fraud: 595 (24/7). National Bank of Kazakhstan: nationalbank.kz. Migration Service: vmp.gov.kz.