Law enforcement agencies are alerting the public to a new fraud scheme connected with the “Gosuslugi” (Public Services) portal. Malefactors have learned to exploit citizens` personal accounts to illegally obtain tax refunds, transferring funds to their own accounts. This information comes from materials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD), as reported by RIA Novosti.
According to MVD data, criminals gain access to a user`s Gosuslugi account, after which they submit a tax refund application, providing their own bank account details for the funds to be credited.
In addition to financial manipulations, fraudsters also gain access to confidential citizen information, including passport data, SNILS (individual insurance account number), credit history details, and property information. This data can subsequently be used for other forms of extortion. A distinctive feature of this new scheme is that scammers do not initiate calls; instead, they create circumstances that compel the victim to contact them independently, by simulating a breach of their Gosuslugi account.
It is worth noting that previous incidents involved fraudsters deceiving citizens under the guise of assisting with Schengen visa applications.
