Being a victim of social media account hacking by fraudsters can lead to a multitude of adverse outcomes. This warning was issued to Russian citizens by the Department for Combating Illegal Use of Information and Communication Technologies (UBK) of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs via their Telegram channel `Herald of Russian Cyberpolice`.
Through compromised social media accounts, malicious actors can steal sensitive personal data, including contact numbers of relatives, and addresses of work, study, or residence. Such information is then leveraged for subsequent attacks, targeting both the account owner and their acquaintances. Furthermore, scammers frequently uncover intimate details within private messages, which they then exploit for blackmail.
Fraudsters may also post reputation-damaging content on the personal page, solicit money from the victim`s contacts, or disseminate spam and malicious phishing links. Another common tactic involves breaching other accounts and services linked to the compromised profile. Moreover, a hacked page grants fraudsters the ability to conduct illicit activities under the guise of the legitimate owner.
In a related incident, a pensioner in Moscow previously sold four apartments after falling victim to a scam.
Clement Ashworth 
Barnaby Whitfield