VTB named the three most common telephone fraud schemes

Attackers pose as employees of banks, telecommunications operators or government agencies. They try to discover the secret code via SMS to confirm actions on the Internet, install malware on a smartphone or ask you to follow a phishing link. By gaining access to your personal account, scammers apply for loans and withdraw money from cards and accounts.

Another scenario involves making money through fake investments, part-time work on the Internet, or buying currencies. Attackers promise quick profits through a sharp increase in the value of investments or company shares. The customer deposits small amounts into a third-party account, makes a profit, and then starts transferring more money. After this, the scammer disappears.

VTB experts also note that in 2024, scammers began to more actively manipulate their victims. They use personal information about themselves and select a deception scheme taking into account the age, social status and status of the client, and study the banking products offered to them.

VTB also observes a change in the portrait of the scammers themselves: now they are trained people, with financial knowledge, who understand psychology and who can “put pressure” on their interlocutor.

Most scammers use a mobile phone call for their scams; this occurs in 67% of cases; the rest of the fraud cases are recorded in instant messaging. At its peak in July and August, the figure was 89%.

In the fall, scammers in Russia began using a new scheme: they invite the victim to download an application to protect against money theft, which is actually spyware. After installing it, attackers gain full access to the victim’s phone information.

In early October, Vladimir Putin ordered the development of additional measures to combat fraud. It is proposed to introduce a “cooling off period”. This time will be established between the lender’s decision to grant a personal loan and the actual transfer of the money to the borrower.