Russians Warned of Dangerous Online Scam Activity

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation has announced a new wave of fraud related to promises of non-existent state payments.

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has once again issued a warning regarding the proliferation of dangerous fraudulent messages on the Telegram messenger. These messages are designed to mislead citizens by offering them “instructions” on how to receive a new state payment. This crucial information was officially published on the Ministry`s Telegram channel.

To illustrate the threat, the Ministry of Internal Affairs showcased a screenshot of one such fraudulent message from a Telegram channel. The message falsely claims that individuals born between 1952 and 2003 are eligible for a one-time payment of 43,000 rubles. The scammers further attempt to legitimize their scheme by including an “official” link within the publication, which supposedly provides comprehensive instructions for claiming these funds.

Representatives of the Ministry unequivocally labeled this activity as “another dangerous mailing exploiting the theme of social benefits.” Citizens are strongly advised against engaging with such messages, to promptly ignore them, and to report these instances to Telegram moderators. This proactive measure helps to ensure the swift blocking of fraudulent channels and protects other users.

Prior Warnings and Cybersecurity Best Practices

This is not an isolated incident; the Ministry of Internal Affairs had previously cautioned about fraudsters attempting to extract confidential information from Russian military personnel. These attempts involved sending fake award orders. The Ministry consistently emphasizes that any interaction with unknown individuals or suspicious messages within messengers invariably carries significant risks to personal data and financial security.

In line with ongoing efforts to bolster cybersecurity, law enforcement agencies have also recommended that citizens either delete or securely store in encrypted folders all files that could potentially attract the interest of cybercriminals. Particular emphasis was placed on exercising extreme caution when handling and sharing photographs or scanned copies of personal documents, as these can be exploited for identity theft and other malicious purposes.