VTB Bank has disclosed information about a sophisticated new scam targeting Russian citizens, particularly families with children. Fraudsters are reportedly impersonating school psychologists to illicitly obtain confidential data from both parents and students.
It has been revealed that these malicious actors were particularly active during the summer examination period. They contacted families, claiming they needed personal details of children and their parents to compile a “student profile.” However, the true objective behind these actions was to gain unauthorized access to various online accounts or to exploit the gathered information through social engineering techniques.
In addition to data collection, the scammers also sent parents fraudulent links to alleged “mandatory tests” that a child supposedly “failed.” These links directed victims to phishing websites, where they unwittingly entered their personal information. A common subsequent tactic employed by the fraudsters was to intimidate victims, threatening data breaches or even criminal prosecution.
VTB representatives strongly advise maximum vigilance: “Critically evaluate any phone calls from unknown individuals, remain calm, and if in doubt, simply end the conversation.”
It is also noted that previous scam tactics included purchasing domain names of official organizations to deceive citizens, as well as distributing malicious software under the guise of legitimate resource administrators.
Clement Ashworth 
Barnaby Whitfield