Cybersecurity expert Konstantin Larin warns that fraudsters are creating fake websites resembling official university portals to deceive prospective students.
Fraudsters are actively employing fake websites, masquerading as official university portals, to extract personal data from applicants who are willing to pay for guaranteed admission. Konstantin Larin, head of “Cyber Intelligence” at Bastion company, discussed these and other common deception schemes targeting university entrants in an interview.
The IT expert noted that scammers develop phishing pages, mimicking official university websites or the “Gosuslugi” (State Services) portal, with the aim of stealing login credentials, passwords, and other personal data from Russian citizens.
Larin explained that one of the primary deception scenarios is “paid enrollment for budget-funded spots,” where fraudsters offer guaranteed university admission for a fee. Schemes involving fake “additional admissions” are also widely used, where fictitious lists of applicants are created, supposedly allowing entry for a specific payment.
The specialist also mentioned that fraudsters exploit messenger apps by creating fake admission committee chats. In these chats, they impersonate university representatives, gain the trust of victims, and then extort personal data or money from them.
“To avoid falling prey to these schemes, it`s crucial to follow simple rules. Never click on suspicious links or open dubious attachments, even if they appear to come from a university or another official source. Do not trust `special offers` – state-funded (budget) university slots are not for sale. Absolutely do not trust calls requesting payment of state fees to an individual`s personal card or other suspicious payment methods – this is definitively a scam,” the expert advised. He also emphasized that universities do not collect money over the phone and do not threaten applicants.
Previously, Russian applicants were also warned about a new scam where fraudsters pretended to be university psychologists.
