Artem Sheikin, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council`s Digital Economy Development Council, has revealed a new and unusual fraud scheme targeting Russian citizens. This information was reported by TASS.
According to the senator, fraudsters contact individuals via phone or messaging apps, impersonating employees of service organizations who are allegedly changing intercom access codes. The primary objective of these deceptive actions is to gain unauthorized access to the victims` financial assets.
«The criminals employ a novel approach: under the guise of an intercom code update, they install malicious software on the victim`s device and then persuade them to transfer all their savings to supposedly `safe` accounts,» Sheikin stated.
Posing as utility workers, the scammers often request «identity verification» by asking the victim to dictate a one-time code received via SMS. Alternatively, they may impersonate police officers, urging victims to install a «protective» application and tap their bank card against the phone`s NFC (Near Field Communication) sensor.
«As a result of these tactics, the swindlers create a virtual copy of the bank card, enabling them to drain all funds from the victim`s account. Many citizens do not resist, as the deceptive call often references details like their home address, apartment, and the perceived safety of their family,» Artem Sheikin added.
The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs had previously issued warnings about a similar deceptive practice where fraudsters contacted Russians on their landlines, falsely claiming to be employees of Rostelecom, a major telecommunications provider.
