Scammers deceiving citizens on their birthdays have become more active in Russia. Fraudsters call from early morning, posing as couriers and reporting an allegedly ordered gift. They extort passport data, address, and get the victim to send an SMS code, after which they empty the victim's bank accounts.
Similar schemes have already led to large losses: in one case alone, fraudsters extorted more than 84.5 million rubles from a pensioner from Moscow. Often, citizens do not immediately realize that they are dealing with fraudsters, especially during holidays when they receive congratulations and gifts.
Experts note that the growth of such fraudulent schemes requires a systemic solution. One of the proposals is mandatory verification of delivery services through a centralized database of legal companies and verification of the identity of couriers through government services.
Such measures can help not only reduce the number of financial losses of Russians, but also improve the quality and transparency of courier services, making the market safer for all citizens.