Russian Interior Ministry Warns of Fraudsters Making Citizens Call Them First
The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), through its «Russian Cyber Police Herald» Telegram channel, has issued a warning regarding a cunning new scam tactic. This scheme involves fraudsters manipulating individuals into initiating phone calls to them directly.
The ministry highlighted that cybercriminals are continuously refining their deceptive strategies. A particularly concerning new method is to persuade potential victims to dial their numbers themselves, thus bypassing typical security measures.
Common Pretexts Used by Scammers to Entice Calls:
- Fabricated issues concerning unpaid utility bills or fines.
- False claims about hacked «Gosuslugi» (public services portal) accounts.
- Urgent demands for re-registration of bank documents or cards.
Fraudsters typically initiate contact via messenger applications or email to present these fabricated problems.
A crucial component of this fraudulent scheme is the demand for an immediate callback to a specific number provided by the scammers. The MIA explains that this technique allows criminals to circumnavigate existing banking and digital security systems, which are primarily designed to detect and block suspicious incoming calls.
The MIA also reminded the public of another prevalent scam tactic they had previously cautioned against. In this scheme, fraudsters leverage fake screenshots of bank applications to promise substantial returns from fictitious investment opportunities, further illustrating their diverse and evolving methods of deception.
