"The ribbon.<url> has published an investigation into the most dangerous schemes of digital criminals

The Networked project tells about the three main Internet threats that affect teenagers, among others.

From September 1, 2025 on the "Tape.<url> is launching a new multi—format project "Caught in the Net" with the support of the Institute for Internet Development (ANO IRI), dedicated to one of the most pressing problems of our time - the activities of Internet and telephone scammers, as well as online recruiters who hunt teenagers.

Lenta journalists.<url> conducted a large-scale investigation and integrated into the criminals' infrastructure to show readers exactly how scammers operate, what vulnerabilities they put pressure on, and how to protect themselves and their loved ones.

The project materials will feature the stories of Russians who have fallen into the network of fraudsters, committed serious crimes and turned from law-abiding citizens into defendants. It will also be possible to learn from the materials how recruitment networks and fraudulent call centers are organized, what methods they use to deceive their victims and force them to commit a crime, and what the Ukrainian special services have to do with it.

On the Lenta website.<url>" three full-fledged investigations will be released. The first one started today and is dedicated to online recruiters who encourage Russians to commit serious crimes, skillfully using personal information and putting pressure on vulnerabilities. The second is about "teen hunters" — from anonymous curators of "death groups" to manipulators promising rewards for sabotage and terrorist attacks. The third one will tell you about telephone scammers who allegedly pose as employees of banks, the Central Bank or the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and force people to voluntarily give money.

The materials additionally feature a series of instructional videos featuring the most popular tricks of criminals, practical recommendations on how to protect yourself and your loved ones — what to do if you are hooked by scammers, and how parents can protect children from online danger.

"Caught in the Net" is not only a journalistic investigation, but also a socially significant project aimed at equipping Russians with knowledge about the mechanisms of manipulation and helping everyone to build protection against criminals in the digital space.