Fraudsters have begun distributing fake tax notifications to Russian citizens, leveraging various channels to deceive victims and steal personal data.
A new, sophisticated tax-related scam has emerged, specifically targeting residents across Russia. This fraudulent scheme was officially reported by the «Moshelovka» platform, a key initiative of the Public Front, as conveyed through statements to RIA Novosti.
With the critical deadline for property tax payments in Russia rapidly approaching on December 1st, scammers have significantly intensified their deceptive tactics. They are now actively sending counterfeit tax notices and fabricated receipts through a multitude of communication channels, including email, SMS, and popular messaging applications. According to detailed reports from «Moshelovka,» these fake documents are meticulously crafted to include suspicious links. These links are designed to direct unsuspecting recipients to sophisticated phishing websites. Should individuals, unaware of the deception, proceed to enter their sensitive bank card details on these fraudulent sites, their financial information and hard-earned funds will be immediately compromised and stolen by the perpetrators.
Furthermore, «Moshelovka» has issued a critical warning that these fraudsters are not solely relying on digital methods. They are also resorting to more traditional, yet equally insidious, means, such as placing physical letters adorned with QR codes—falsely purporting to be from the official tax service—directly into residential mailboxes. Scanning such a QR code will similarly redirect unsuspecting individuals to a fraudulent online resource that is entirely controlled by the scammers.
In response to these pervasive and evolving threats, authorities are strongly reminding the public that all official tax notifications and legitimate receipts are consistently dispatched via «Pochta Rossii» (Russian Post). Additionally, these crucial documents are always made available in personal accounts on the «Gosuslugi» state services portal or through the official website of the Federal Tax Service (FNS) of Russia. To effectively protect against these widespread scams, «Moshelovka» advises citizens to meticulously verify the authenticity of all received documents. A key defensive measure is to thoroughly check the addresses of territorial tax departments listed on any received receipts, as fake documents frequently feature non-existent or incorrect addresses designed to mislead.
In related news concerning ongoing fraudulent activities, another novel scam was previously brought to public attention by Kaspersky Lab. This particular scheme involved fraudsters deceiving Russians under the guise of needing to replace intercom keys, highlighting the diverse and constantly evolving range of deceptive practices currently in operation across the country.
