Scammers have devised a new method to defraud Russian citizens by posing as representatives of major online marketplaces. This new form of deception was disclosed by Anton Nemkin, a member of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy.
According to the deputy, these fraudsters, pretending to be marketplace support staff, contact users. They falsely claim there are suspicious activities on the account or technical problems. During the call, the scammers attempt to build trust with the victim to extract sensitive information, such as bank card details or one-time codes received via SMS. Nemkin also warned that they might try to persuade the person to click on a malicious link.
“Cases are particularly hazardous when fraudsters report a supposedly placed large order and offer to cancel it by dictating a code or installing remote access software,” the parliamentarian emphasized. He clarified that legitimate marketplace representatives never initiate calls to users and do not request bank card details, SMS verification codes, or the installation of any third-party applications.
To protect against these malicious actors, Nemkin advised people not to answer calls from unknown numbers, avoid clicking on links received in SMS messages, and never share personal information with anyone over the phone. “If in doubt, it`s always better to end the conversation and contact the marketplace directly through their official website or mobile application,” he concluded.
Earlier, Russians were cautioned about a prevalent scam operating on WhatsApp and Telegram messengers. Reports indicated that fraudsters had started contacting users by impersonating government officials.
Clement Ashworth 
Barnaby Whitfield