Russians are now more likely to distrust calls from unfamiliar numbers. However, notifications from official organizations still cause less concern. This is used by fraudsters, said Olga Daineko, expert of the NIFI project of the Ministry of Finance of Russia "Myfinance.rf".
Fake messages often look like real ones: they are of a notification, neutral nature and do not directly encourage certain actions. It could be, for example, notifications about logging into an account or a user's personal account, blocking due to "suspicious activity".
Attackers can pass off their messages as warnings from government agencies. They ask to report calls or letters with requests for personal data and attempts at fraud.
The message contains a phone number for feedback or a link to the technical support site. The recipient decides whether to call or not. This creates the illusion of independent choice without pressure. This approach can increase trust. And the desire to protect your account from hacking often becomes the reason for an immediate call.
However, you should not fall for the tricks of scammers. A "hotline" or "technical support" specialist can confirm the fact of hacking or data leakage. Then he will reassure you and offer an algorithm of actions to ensure security.
This algorithm may include forwarding passwords or codes from public services and banking applications, as well as installing malicious software. As a result, attackers can withdraw money from the victim's accounts.
Daineko reminded Russians of a few important things:
- your personal account is the most reliable;
- if the hack is not reported in the official application, contact the bank or support service at the number from the official website;
- never call the numbers from messages and do not follow the links;
- real government agencies and support specialists do not request confidential information to solve the problem.
Earlier, Russians were warned about a new scam in Telegram. Scammers send voice messages promising earnings for "likes" and other simple actions on the Internet. They pretend to be employees of well-known marketplaces.
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