Guests from the past: how scammers use the theme of former lovers
Fraudsters use the topic of ex—spouses and lovers to deceive Russians, experts have warned about this. Intruders play on the old emotional bonds and trust that once existed between people, making them the basis of their cunning schemes. For more information about how fraudulent schemes on the topic of past relationships are arranged, how dangerous they are and how to protect yourself from them, read the Izvestia material
Why is the subject of ex-lovers interesting to scammers
The subject of ex-spouses or lovers is attractive to scammers primarily because it is based on a previous emotional connection and trust that once existed between people, Marina Probets, an Internet analyst and expert at Gazinformservice, says in an interview with Izvestia.
"Scammers can exploit this story, knowing that the potential victim may still have certain feelings for this person (sympathy, sense of duty, nostalgia) or retains a level of trust that is absent when communicating with strangers," the expert explains.
Contacting on behalf of a former partner instantly makes the request more personal and less suspicious, reducing the potential victim's vigilance and increasing the likelihood that she will rush to "help" without due diligence, especially if the request is submitted as urgent and related to some kind of trouble or difficult situation, Marina Probets notes.
As part of schemes on the subject of ex-spouses and lovers, scammers use unfinished business and financial obligations that remained between ex-partners, as well as both painful and pleasant memories, to make it easier to achieve what they want, adds Alexandra Shmigirilova, GR director of the Security Code Information Security company. At the same time, online communication adds anonymity, which facilitates fraudulent activities and gaining access to both money and personal information of victims of scams.
What schemes on the topic of "former" should be expected in 2025
The main goal of scammers is financial gain, so they can use a variety of pretexts to gain access to the money of potential victims in 2025, says Yakov Filevsky, an expert on sociotechnical testing at Angara Security, in an interview with Izvestia. Among such schemes are messages "from exes" asking for an urgent loan of a certain amount of money, as well as calls on behalf of delivery services specifying the address and requesting confirmation of readiness to receive a parcel from an ex-partner with an SMS code.
— In addition, chatbots have already become popular, offering to go to a resource where important photos or data are allegedly stored, with authorization via a Telegram username and password, - says the specialist.
In turn, Evgeny Egorov, a leading analyst at the digital risk protection department at F6, notes that fraudulent schemes with "exes" require a detailed study of potential victims — and the whole question is how deeply cybercriminals will work out their scenarios.
For example, it can be simple messages from fake accounts of ex-lovers asking them to send money. However, it can also be a carefully prepared attack from a hijacked or modeled after the original account, when scammers know how to handle what to write, even copying the manner of communication and the arrangement of emojis. In this case, attackers can use voice and video clips, as well as "circles" generated using neural networks.
—Attackers are getting even more opportunities to create the illusion of communicating with a real person, as technical solutions for creating deepfakes are becoming more advanced and at the same time accessible," emphasizes Evgeny Egorov.
According to Marina Probets, in 2025, scammers will often play on feelings of guilt, nostalgia, or a desire to restore relations with an ex-partner, offering, for example, "money for a trip to meet" or help with a problem caused by a breakup, making their schemes as personalized and difficult to identify as possible.
What schemes on the subject of ex-lovers have you met before?
Fraudsters have been writing to potential victims on behalf of former lovers for years, creating fake accounts or gaining access to existing ones in order to ask for money, Alexander Vurasko, director of development at the Solar AURA Monitoring Center for External Digital Threats, told Izvestia.
"Some users do borrow money, thinking that they are helping a loved one, but they end up with a fraudster, after which he disappears from the radar and stops responding to messages," the expert notes.
Typical fraud schemes involving ex—spouses or lovers included requests to borrow money for urgent needs - medical treatment, car repairs, problems with work or business, getting into a difficult life situation, often with the promise of a quick refund, adds Marina Probets. Another option is to play on feelings of guilt or nostalgia, when the "ex" asked for help in cases allegedly related to a common past or the consequences of a breakup.
There have also been cases of blackmail, when scammers threatened to distribute personal information or photos obtained during the relationship, demanding a ransom. The point has always been to exploit the trust and emotional connection that once existed in order to fraudulently obtain financial or other benefits, the expert notes.
— The "Look, your photos are here" scheme was also common — the victim was sent an archive or a link to it, — says Yakov Filevsky. — When opening the file, malicious software was installed on the device to steal confidential data.
How to protect yourself from fraud schemes on the topic of "exes"
The danger of such schemes lies not only in the direct financial losses incurred by the victim by transferring money to fraudsters under false pretenses, but also in the profound psychological impact, says Marina Probets.
— Deception, allegedly coming from a person with whom there was once a close relationship, can cause severe stress, feelings of betrayal, guilt, shame and undermine trust not only in former partners, but also in people in general, making the victim more vulnerable or, conversely, overly suspicious in the future, — emphasizes the interlocutor. Izvestia.
At the same time, having gained access to the victim's device, the scammers not only empty her accounts (for example, by issuing microloans), but also send the scheme to all contacts, hoping that someone will bite - this is how the attack spreads along the chain, adds Yakov Filevsky.
In order to protect yourself from such threats, Olga Svistunova, senior content analyst at Kaspersky Lab, advises first of all not to lose your vigilance: if a message or request on behalf of an "ex" or "ex" seems suspicious to you, looks more like an automatic message or is written in an unusual manner for a person, do not do what you want. what is being asked of you.
— You should not immediately transfer money, download files or click on a link, — the expert notes. — It is better to check whether the person is really who he claims to be through another communication channel. That is, if someone wrote to you in a messenger, it is better to call back by phone.
As an additional means of protection, Alexandra Shmigirilova advises using a video call — ask the interlocutor to confirm his identity in real time. Also, enable two-factor authentication in social networks so that scammers do not hack your account for such schemes. Compliance with these measures will help minimize risks and protect you from fraudulent attacks, the expert concludes.
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