A new fraudulent scheme is currently targeting parents of Russian schoolchildren. This scam is particularly active during July and August, a period when schools traditionally begin the process of assigning students to classes for the upcoming academic year. This time is especially relevant for students entering new levels, such as first graders, fifth graders, and tenth graders transitioning to specialized profiles. Daniil Borislavsky, an IT expert and Product Director for the Staffcop information security division at Kontur.Egida, has brought attention to this new method.
Borislavsky explains that fraudsters initiate contact by calling parents and falsely presenting themselves as school staff or even representatives from the Ministry of Education. They then inquire if the child is moving to a specific grade, for example, the fifth grade.
«If you confirm, you become vulnerable within their trust funnel,» the expert stated. «Everything that follows sounds credible: `Your school has already compiled the lists, but we need to cross-reference the data with the regional database. Otherwise, the child might not be assigned to a class – they simply won`t be enrolled, there won`t be enough available spots.` This creates a trigger effect, preying on a parent`s natural anxiety. They then instruct you: `An SMS will now arrive from Gosuslugi. This is the child`s sequence number in the regional list. Just read it out, and that`s all – we`ll get you registered.`»
Borislavsky cautioned that in reality, no such list exists. The SMS is actually a confirmation code intended for accessing the recipient`s Gosuslugi (State Services) account. By obtaining this code, fraudsters can gain extensive access to personal data, apply for various services on behalf of the victim, and potentially even secure loans.
The scenario leveraging the `school` theme appears extremely realistic: it aligns perfectly with real school timelines, employs bureaucratic language (`interdepartmental verification,` `regional list,` `sequence number`), and generates a strong sense of urgency and fear: `otherwise, the child won`t get into the class.`
The expert strongly emphasized that no legitimate government agency will ever request SMS confirmation codes over the telephone. He urged parents never to provide these codes over the phone and to always verify any similar information directly. This means independently contacting the school, using the official Gosuslugi personal account, checking the educational institution`s website, or consulting trusted parent chat groups.
