The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) is urging citizens to exercise caution in messenger communications, highlighting a specific behavioral change that could indicate a scammer has taken over a friend`s account.
According to the MIA, a significant red flag is when a familiar contact, who normally addresses you with the informal `ty` (ты) in Russian, suddenly switches to the more formal `vy` (вы). This abrupt change in address is a strong indicator that the user`s account may have been compromised and a scammer is now operating it.
Law enforcement officials recommend that users remain vigilant and pay close attention to any uncharacteristic or unusual behavior exhibited by their chat partners on platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and other messaging applications.
This warning comes amidst ongoing efforts to combat cybercrime. Previously, Anton Nemkin, a member of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, reported that scammers had also been impersonating doctors from polyclinics as a tactic to steal personal data from citizens.
