“Your marriage has expired”: Kazakhstanis warned about a new scam

A fake bank notification telling husbands to pay 21,345 tenge to keep their marriages valid has become a viral joke in Kazakhstan, while officials warn that the stunt could also provide a template for fraud.

The trend began with wives creating screenshots or text messages claiming that a marriage was about to expire. In one widely viewed video, a confused husband discussed the supposed bill with his wife and agreed to transfer the money to avoid having the marriage annulled. The video attracted more than 200,000 views.

Some social media users laughed at the husbands who believed the messages and asked for ready-made versions to use on their own partners. Others questioned whether marriage in Kazakhstan required periodic renewal or warned that scammers could use similar messages to obtain money or personal information. Comments included jokes about charging 100,000 tenge for a lifetime subscription and claims that some users had already persuaded their husbands to send money.

The Ministry of Justice rejected the premise. “False information is being spread on social media through second-tier bank apps about the need to ‘renew the term of marriage registration,’ which is fraudulent in nature. The Ministry of Justice warns that, in accordance with marriage and family legislation, marriage is registered once and has no established expiration date. Therefore, marriage renewal is not required,” said ministry representative Talgat Uali.

The ministry said a marriage can end only through an official divorce process. Divorce takes place through a registration authority or a court, and the marriage ends when the divorce is registered or when a court decision takes legal effect. Officials advised Kazakhstanis not to click suspicious links, transfer money using details in questionable messages, or share personal data. Suspicious claims should be checked through official resources or with the relevant government agency.

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False information is being spread on social media through second-tier bank apps about the need to ‘renew the term of marriage registration,’ which is fraudulent in nature. The Ministry of Justice warns that, in accordance with marriage and family legislation, marriage is registered once and has no established expiration date. Therefore, marriage renewal is not required.