T-Bank has announced an expansion of its free fraud protection service, “Protect or Refund Money,” to include two high-risk scam scenarios: blackmail and fake investment schemes. The update, effective May 2025, builds on the bank’s existing AI-driven call interception system, which has blocked 62 million fraudulent calls monthly since its 2023 launch1, 7. The service, available exclusively to T-Bank clients using T-Mobile as their primary contact number, now covers hybrid threats where scammers combine tactics like impersonating telecom operators and law enforcement.
Service Expansion and New Threat Coverage
The updated program addresses increasingly sophisticated fraud methods. Blackmail scams often begin with threats of legal action or fabricated evidence, coercing victims into transferring funds. Fake investment schemes lure targets with promises of high returns, often using cloned trading platforms or fake broker profiles. T-Bank’s Neuroshield AI analyzes call patterns in real-time, disconnecting suspicious calls before financial damage occurs1, 3. According to internal data, the system has a 99% detection accuracy and has prevented losses totaling 170 million RUB between September 2023 and February 20247, 8.
Technical Implementation and Client Impact
The service integrates T-Bank’s fraud detection algorithms with T-Mobile’s call analytics, requiring clients to link their T-Mobile SIM to their bank account. A case study highlighted by Yuga.ru involved a client who lost 1.57 million RUB to hybrid scammers impersonating both T-Mobile support and police officers; the funds were fully refunded within 72 hours8. The bank processes refunds for verified fraud cases, with 12.3 million RUB reimbursed in 2023 alone1.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fraudulent calls blocked monthly | 62 million | 1 |
| Annual refunds issued (2023) | 12.3 million RUB | 1 |
| Prevented losses (Sep 2023–Feb 2024) | 170 million RUB | 7, 8 |
Activation and Future Developments
Clients must enable the service via the T-Bank app or customer support, ensuring “Call Protection” is active. Future updates will extend coverage to fake investment scams by late 2024, with AI enhancements to detect multi-stage fraud earlier4, 8. T-Bank’s approach combines proactive threat disruption with financial guarantees, setting a benchmark for fraud mitigation in the banking sector.
References
- “T-Bank adds blackmail/fake investments,” CNews, May 6, 2025.
- “T-Bank News: Fake job schemes,” Aug. 5, 2024.
- “Service setup guide,” T-Bank.
- “CNews: Fake job protection,” Aug. 5, 2024.
- “Banki.ru: New fraud coverage,” Aug. 5, 2024.
- “IXBT: Service expansion,” Aug. 5, 2024.
- “T-Bank: 6-month results,” Mar. 21, 2024.
- “Yuga.ru: Hybrid fraud tactics,” Apr. 2, 2024.
- “T-Bank: Service activation.”
- “SearchInform: Banking fraud countermeasures.”
