Debt will come out: how scammers cheat Russians with fake accounts
Fraudsters can deceive Russians with the help of "legends" involving false debt accounts and dripping penalties, experts have warned. Attackers pose as representatives of various organizations, including debt collectors and bailiffs, which threatens their victims with losing money. Details on how fraudsters deceive Russians with fake debts, read in the material "Izvestia".
Why fraudsters use schemes with fake debts
Fraudsters often use schemes related to fake debt accounts, because the issue of finance for any person is very important, says in a conversation with Izvestia GR-director of the IS-company "Security Code" Alexandra Shmigirilova. At the same time, in the modern world, where most transactions are automated, digitized and performed online without the use of paper money, the process of financial turnover for many people does not look unproblematic.
- In other words, if an official - a representative of a bank or an authority - calls with information about a debt, the user may well believe it, even if he is sure that there are no debts," the expert explains. - He thinks: "What if there is some kind of failure in the banking system?".
This is where opportunities for fraudsters appear, who, as a rule, are very good at picking up on these doubts and begin to show persistence, without giving the potential victim time to think and objectively assess the situation. Leading analyst of the Digital Risk Protection Department of F.A.C.C.T. Evgeny Egorov adds that to achieve their goals, criminals actively use current information occasions.
These include new legislation, initiatives, changes in regulations and other events. Moreover, sometimes fraudsters can come up with their own fictitious news, which they then spread through social networks and messengers. The main purpose of such actions is to embezzle funds and involve victims in other fraudulent schemes.
What schemes with fake debts are used by con artists
According to Evgeny Egorov, attackers can send potential victims payment links that repeat the design of legitimate services, or persuade them to download fake mobile applications with malicious software under the pretext of clarifying and repaying debts.
- Criminals use social engineering methods and psychological techniques, and also take advantage of the lack of awareness of precautionary measures and digital hygiene," says the Izvestia interlocutor.
Marina Probets, Internet analyst and expert at Gazinformservice, adds that previously popular schemes with fake debts were calls from "bank employees" about suspicious transactions, "bailiff services" with threats of property seizure, "collectors" with demands to repay non-existent loans, as well as phishing letters with "tax debts".
At the same time, in 2025, according to the expert, we can expect more sophisticated schemes that use dipfakes to imitate voices and video calls from supposedly official persons, personalized phishing using stolen data, as well as fake websites of government agencies and financial institutions that look extremely convincing.
- Fraudsters can also use artificial intelligence manipulation to create fake documents and automate the deception process, processing a large number of potential victims at the same time," says the expert.
Angara Security cybersecurity expert Andrei Razdymakho agrees that the schemes of attackers in 2025 will look even more realistic. For example, under the updated scenarios, fake debt notifications may appear directly in bank applications through interface substitution. Or fraudsters will start to actively use AI to generate plausible emails and even fake correspondence to convince potential victims.
What are the risks of fake debt schemes?
The target audience of fake debt schemes are people who are prone to trust, manipulation and have a fear of government agencies and financial institutions, says Marina Probets in a conversation with Izvestia. These may be elderly people who are less familiar with digital technologies and fraud methods, as well as users with limited experience in financial management.
- It all depends on the specific scheme: for example, "debt collectors" often target the elderly, who are more inclined to believe official notices, while "bank debts" or tax threats are more often addressed to young and working people who have loans or pay taxes," Andrei Razdymakho adds.
According to the expert, business owners are also hit by fraudsters, who are frightened by blocking of accounts or inspections. A universal feature of victims is an emotional reaction to a sudden threat, be it fear of the law or loss of money. At the same time, the main danger of schemes involving fake debts is financial loss.
A person caught in the ruse can transfer money "to pay off the debt", but it will be almost impossible to return it, explains Andrei Razdymakho. At the same time, the second potential threat is the leakage of personal data. According to Alexandra Shmigirilova, a person who enters into a dialog with fraudsters about the need to repay existing debts, in the process of conversation may accidentally transfer to the attackers data that will be used against him.
- They can be used both by the fraudsters themselves and, possibly, by other attackers in the course of reselling the information," the expert notes.
Information about accounts, credits or identification numbers of victims obtained by fraudsters may eventually be used for other crimes, agrees Andrei Razdymakho. And this, in turn, undermines confidence in the real organizations, be it the Federal Tax Service of Russia or banks.
How to protect yourself from schemes of fraudsters with fake debts
In today's world, where almost everything is tied to electronic communication, it is impossible to protect yourself from attempts by fraudsters to obtain data and finances, but you can minimize the risks, says Alexandra Shmigirilova. If we are talking about any debts, it is necessary to immediately check their presence in an official way: on the state site of the tax inspection, "Gosuslugi" or the site of the bank.
- Of course, it is also necessary to observe basic digital hygiene: do not open suspicious links, do not send or share personal data with anyone, and do not transfer money before the situation is fully clarified," says the Izvestia interlocutor.
In many cases, it is enough just to take a break and think over the situation: what is going on, whether it can really be so, whether there is no trick and why some debt was formed, the expert notes. This is the kind of pause that fraudsters always try to prevent and therefore put pressure on a person, trying to get the information they need as quickly as possible.
In turn, Eugene Egorov recommends to always check the sources of information and use only official resources. It is also important not to give anyone information about bank cards and codes from SMS, as well as not to leave them on dubious sites. If you have doubts, be sure to consult your family or friends, the expert advises.
- Install anti-virus software and update it regularly to protect yourself from phishing attacks," concludes Marina Probets. - Increase your financial literacy and awareness of common fraud methods to recognize suspicious signs. Finally, if you encounter an attempted fraud, report it to law enforcement and alert loved ones.
