The article is devoted to the urgent problem of preventing financial losses and risks associated with fraudulent actions of third parties. An analysis of various circumstances and situations of fraudulent actions is given. A comparative analysis of various schemes and algorithms used in the construction of financial pyra-mids has been carried out. The importance and necessity of informational and methodological warning of the population about possible risks are shown: on the street, in an apartment, by phone and on the Internet, at home (uninvited guest), in the market, in a store, in transport, at a train station, in the press, with bank cards (phishing, skimming, phantom ATM). The economic recommendations for preventing financial losses for the affected citizens are presented. Particular attention is paid to the concept of building financial pyramids. An economic model of risk formation has been developed using the example of the famous MMM financial pyra-mid. The calculation of the moment when the depositor exits the fraudulent scheme without financial losses and, importantly, with a profit, has been performed.