Scammers have devised a sophisticated new method to steal Russian citizens` accounts on the “Gosuslugi” public services portal, by impersonating employees of the new domestic messenger, Max. This deceptive tactic was reported by “Kod Durova.”
According to the publication, these fraudsters contact Russians by phone, urging them to urgently register with Max and activate an “additional security account.” They then ask potential victims to dictate an SMS code. This code is, in fact, a confirmation code for Gosuslugi, and if disclosed, it grants the scammers access to the victim`s account.
It`s important to note that during these conversations, the scammers falsely claim Max is a state-owned messenger integrated with Gosuslugi. However, this is not true; the integration of the portal with Max is still under consideration. According to Maksut Shadaev, head of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, a final decision on this matter has not yet been made.
To protect themselves from these scams, users should exercise caution, specifically by never sharing SMS codes with third parties. In case of any questions or concerns, users should always contact the official support services of Gosuslugi and Max.
It was previously reported about another fraudulent scheme where scammers called Russians, posing as employees of online marketplaces.
