InfoWatch warned of a new type of spy app scam

“The application was called “Security”, an icon with a laconic design, similar in style to government applications,” said the expert. According to him, the attackers call people on the phone, present themselves as law enforcement officers and report an attempt to steal the victim’s money or request a loan in their name.

The call is then transferred to a supposed Bank of Russia security officer, who convinces the person to install a fake app located on the official Google Play store. As a result, spyware intercepts all information on the phone and gains access to calls, SMS, files, passwords and codes. Thanks to it, fraudsters can access personal accounts in state services, banking applications and other confidential resources, Alabin warned.

At the same time, according to the expert, it is difficult to remove such a program, as it locks the phone settings. The only way out is to reset your smartphone to factory settings.

To distinguish fraudulent apps, Alabin recommended paying attention to the developer’s name and reviews. If numerous positive reviews appear on the app’s page in a short period of time, this may be a sign that it is a fake.

According to the Central Bank, in the second quarter of 2024, fraudsters stole a record 4.8 billion rubles from the bank accounts of Russians, with 97% of the thefts coming from individual accounts. More than half of the thefts occurred through the Faster Payment System and remote banking services. From January to August 2024, Roskomnadzor blocked 456 million fraudulent calls received on Russian phones.

The authorities intend to allocate more than 6 billion rubles from the federal budget to the creation of a platform to combat Internet fraud at TelecomCenter. In 2025, it is expected to unite banks, telecommunications operators and digital platforms to combat fraud and data leaks.