Moscow is experiencing a new wave of fraud involving fake lotteries and giveaways, the city hall reported. Users receive links to fake websites promising large winnings or gifts from well-known brands – sometimes requiring a small payment to receive them.

The main goal is to obtain banking and personal data. Fake pages may mimic the design of official portals, banks, and marketplaces, and links are most often distributed via social networks and messengers.

There are other variations of the scheme. For example, users are offered to "open" prizes on a website or join a live broadcast where large payouts are promised for paid gifts. To add credibility, fake transfer notifications are shown on the screen.

Experts advise against entering card details, especially CVC/CVV codes, on websites that promise instant winnings, gifts, or rewards for participating in a giveaway.