Fraudsters are intensifying their activities as university admissions approach. A new scam targeting applicants has been revealed by the Telegram channel Mash.
Scammers obtain phone numbers through data breaches, which can also include sensitive information like SNILS (insurance number) and TIN (taxpayer ID). They then contact prospective students, impersonating members of the university admissions committee. During the call, they claim there`s an issue with the applicant`s submission, such as an error in the application, a required document, or a lost certificate of education. To `urgently correct` these details, they instruct the applicant to schedule an appointment and provide an SMS verification code. This code, however, grants the fraudsters access to the victim`s personal account on the `Gosuslugi` public services portal.
Subsequently, the applicant receives an email notifying them that their Gosuslugi account has been blocked. A fraudulent support service then transfers the call to individuals posing as law enforcement `operatives`. A supposed representative from a power/law enforcement agency demands a video call, asserting the need to preempt the hackers who allegedly compromised the account. To achieve this, they advise the victim to take out a loan for the maximum possible amount, claiming this action will somehow `nullify` their financial rating, and then transfer the borrowed funds to a designated `safe` account.
In a separate report, it was previously noted that fraudsters had been compelling their victims to leave cash savings in mailboxes under the guise of `protecting` their assets. The money, once placed at the specified location, is later retrieved by an accomplice acting as a courier.
