Parents of schoolchildren in Russia are being alerted to a new fraudulent scheme targeting them during the traditional July-August period. This time is particularly relevant as schools finalize class assignments for the upcoming academic year, which includes transitions for first-graders, fifth-graders, and tenth-graders moving into specialized programs. Scammers are exploiting this timeline, according to Daniil Borislavsky, an IT security expert.
The fraudulent calls involve criminals impersonating school staff or even representatives from the Ministry of Education. They typically contact parents and ask to confirm details, such as whether their child is moving to a specific grade.
“If you confirm, you enter a funnel of trust,” Borislavsky explained. The scammers then present a plausible narrative: “Your school has already formed the lists, but we need to verify the data against the regional database. Otherwise, your child might not get into the class – they simply won`t be enrolled, there won`t be enough places.” This tactic triggers natural parental anxiety.
The fraudsters then instruct the parent: “An SMS will arrive now from Gosuslugi [the Russian government services portal]. This is the child`s sequential number in the regional list. Just dictate it, and that`s it – we`ll enroll you.”
Borislavsky warned that no such list exists. The SMS is actually a verification code intended for accessing the parent`s Gosuslugi account. Obtaining this code grants scammers access to extensive personal data, allowing them to register for services or even take out loans in the victim`s name.
The scenario relying on the `school` theme looks extremely realistic: it coincides timely with real processes in schools, uses bureaucratic rhetoric (`interdepartmental verification`, `regional list`, `sequential number`), and creates a sense of urgency and fear: `otherwise the child won`t get into class`.
The expert emphasized that no legitimate government agency will ever ask for SMS codes over the phone. He urged parents not to provide these codes to callers and to independently verify any such requests. Verification should be done directly by calling the school, using their official Gosuslugi account online, checking the school`s website, or contacting official parent chat groups.
This alert follows recent reports of other scams targeting Russians, including one involving fake offers for joint movie watching on supposed online platforms.
