The key facts
- Fraudsters call posing as a 'delivery service' and ask for card details or an SMS code for a 'refund' due to a payment error
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs urged people not to share message codes with strangers
- Earlier, emails with fake pre-trial claims for millions of rubles containing malicious files were recorded
New scheme: a 'payment error' and a fake refund
Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs has reported a new fraud scheme, as relayed by TASS. The perpetrators call potential victims and pose as delivery service employees. They claim that a glitch occurred while paying for an order, so the customer needs to arrange a refund. To do this, the caller is asked to provide their bank card details or dictate a code received via SMS. If the person complies with the caller's demands, they risk losing their money.
Law enforcement warning
Law enforcement urged citizens not to share codes from messages with strangers, no matter who the caller claims to be. This is the key recommendation regarding the new scheme: it is precisely the SMS code, along with card details, that allows fraudsters to gain access to the victim's money.
A related scheme: fake pre-trial claims
Earlier, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, fraudsters began sending Russians emails with fake pre-trial claims for several million rubles. Behind the threats of large recoveries are malicious files: the criminals' goal is to frighten the recipient with a multi-million sum and make them open the attached document. In reality, the attachment contains malicious software that can give the attackers access to a computer or smartphone.
Why this matters
Both schemes aim at direct financial loss and access to personal data: in the first case, through a phone call and extracting the SMS code; in the second, through infecting the device with malware. The practical takeaway from the Ministry's messages is clear: never dictate codes from messages to anyone and do not open attachments in emails demanding large payments. Limitation: the sources do not provide data on the number of victims or the amount of losses under the new scheme.
