Fraudsters are calling Russian citizens, impersonating employees of `Vodokanal` (the water utility), and asking them to provide a code from an SMS message. The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) issued a warning about this specific scheme.
The agency explained that the criminals employ an effective psychological tactic during these calls with potential victims. “Right from the first minute of the conversation, they create a complete illusion of a legitimate `official` contact. The entire dialogue is built around a seemingly necessary home visit by a specialist – for checking water meters or urgent work,” they stated.
Notably, the fraudsters initially don`t demand money transfers or personal data, nor do they apply pressure. They simply discuss the details of the supposed `Vodokanal` employee visit. However, once the arrangements seem finalized, the scammer then claims that a confirmation code from an SMS sent to the victim`s phone is required to validate the request.
The Russian MIA urged citizens: “If you receive such calls, immediately hang up and contact the official `Vodokanal` service for your region.” They emphasized that actual `Vodokanal` employees never request codes over the phone, and scheduled visits are only made based on a prior service request from the resident.
