Fraudulent individuals are posing as members of the military.
Russian Cyber Police Warn of Persistent Phone Scam Targeting "Gosuslugi" Portal and Military Enlistment Offices
Russian cyber police have issued a new warning about a phone scam targeting citizens of Russia, with fraudsters posing as trusted government or military agents linked to military enlistment offices and the government services portal "Gosuslugi."
According to the Russian Interior Ministry's Cybercrime Unit, the scam involves calls from unknown numbers, claiming to be from military enlistment office employees. The scammers aim to steal personal data from citizens, including sensitive information from their "Gosuslugi" personal accounts, by asking callers to provide the SMS code for accessing their account.
The scam is a continuation of a phone scam that has been targeting citizens of Russia. The scammers can forge fake documents with the stolen personal data, posing a significant risk to victims.
Russian law enforcement, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs, has warned against such impersonation scams and fraudulent activities. They emphasize the importance of verifying official calls and not providing personal data or payments in response to unsolicited requests purportedly related to military enlistment or "Gosuslugi."
In this latest scam, the pretext for obtaining information is updating military records in a new electronic summons registry. However, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the unified military record does not require any confirming codes or additional checks.
The cyber police advise ending the call immediately if the caller asks for an SMS code. They also recommend verifying the caller's identity independently using official contact information, avoiding responding to urgent demands for money or information, and reporting suspicious calls to authorities immediately.
The report of this scam was made by DEITA.RU, emphasizing the need for public awareness and vigilance against such fraud attempts. The Russian cyber police counter these scams through public awareness campaigns and official warnings, highlighting that legitimate military enlistment offices and government portals like "Gosuslugi" do not request payments or sensitive information by unsolicited calls.
This latest phone scam is a reminder for citizens to be cautious of unsolicited calls asking for sensitive information, especially those claiming to be from official institutions like military enlistment offices or government portals. By staying vigilant and following the advice of the Russian cyber police, citizens can protect themselves from falling victim to these scams.
- The persistent phone scam targeting Russian citizens, as reported by DEITA.RU, involves fraudsters posing as military enlistment office employees, using a pretext of updating military records, and asking for SMS codes to gain access to personal "Gosuslugi" accounts, potentially leading to identity theft and fraudulent activities.
- In light of the continuing cybersecurity threats, Russian citizens are encouraged to remain vigilant against such scams by ending calls immediately if asked for SMS codes, verifying the caller's identity independently using official contact information, avoiding responding to urgent demands for money or information, and promptly reporting suspicious calls to authorities.
