A disturbing new trend reveals sophisticated scams targeting Russian citizens specifically on their birthdays, leveraging their celebratory mood for malicious gain. Yana Lantratova, head of the State Duma Committee for the Development of Civil Society, brought this concerning development to light in a statement to RIA Novosti.
Lantratova detailed the elaborate scheme, noting that “phone fraudsters in Russia have escalated their activities, employing a highly cunning method of deception. Criminals are meticulously tracking the birthdays of Russians.” The scam typically commences early on the victim`s special day with a phone call from individuals impersonating couriers. These callers falsely claim to be delivering a pre-ordered gift, but their true objective is to extract sensitive information such as passport details and the victim`s home address. Following this, they pressure the unsuspecting individual into providing an SMS verification code. “Tragically, instead of a gift, the victim finds their bank account completely drained,” Lantratova explained.
She also highlighted the similarities to a prior fraudulent scheme involving deceptive flower delivery offers. Lantratova emphasized that many individuals might not immediately discern these calls as fraudulent, particularly on their birthday, a day when they are typically receiving numerous well-wishes and are generally more relaxed and less prone to suspicion.
This warning comes on the heels of previous reports concerning fraudsters defrauding Russians in apartment rental scenarios. In those cases, scammers would pose as property owners, collect security deposits from potential tenants, and subsequently vanish, leaving victims without their money and without a place to stay.
