Under the sign of a conman: how scammers use the theme of New Year's horoscopes
Scammers can use the subject of horoscopes for 2026 to deceive potential victims, experts have warned about this. This topic is extremely attractive to scammers, because it effectively exploits the natural human desire to foresee the future, to seek solace and hope. For more information about which horoscope schemes to expect at the end of 2025, how dangerous they are and how to protect yourself from them, read the Izvestia article.
What is the topic of horoscopes for 2026 interesting to intruders?
The subject of horoscopes for 2026 is extremely attractive to scammers, as it effectively exploits the natural human desire to foresee the future, seek solace and hope, as well as the willingness to believe in individual destiny, especially when it comes to important life areas such as finances, health and personal relationships, says the Internet in an interview with Izvestia.-Marina Probets, analyst and expert at Gazinformservice.
—Scammers use this uncertainty by offering personalized predictions, special charms or rituals to "improve" fate, get rid of negative influences predicted in the horoscope, or ensure success, thereby creating a false sense of urgency and dependence, which ultimately leads to extortion of money for non—existent services or useless goods," the expert warns..
New Year is a time of hope and new plans, a holiday surrounded by additional magic, so people have a request that "next year will be better" and an interest in astrological forecasts, adds Yakov Filevsky, an expert on sociotechnical testing at Angara Security. In addition, against the background of the holiday and blind faith in predictions, many people's vigilance decreases, as well as their courage increases. Scammers understand this perfectly well and start using it.
What schemes on the subject of horoscopes should be expected at the end of 2025
At the end of 2025, scammers can launch websites or send out advertisements on social networks offering to find out their personal horoscope for next year for free, says Yakov Filevsky. By clicking on the link, the user runs the risk of getting to a phishing page requesting personal data (full name, date of birth, phone number, e-mail) under the pretext of making a horoscope.
"Such information is used by intruders to steal identity, target attacks, or to sell data to call services as a live contact," says Izvestia's source. — However, direct harm is also possible: instead of predicting, the site will infect the device with malware. For example, the Facestealer Trojan family spread through horoscope apps, stealing passwords from Western social networks.
The scheme of stealing accounts in messengers, for example Telegram, remains relevant by logging into a website with information for logging into messengers. The attackers expect that many people will want to install a "magic" prediction app before the New Year, and they place hidden code in such programs. He can steal contacts and messages, subscribe the victim to paid services, or include the device in a network of bots.
According to Yakov Filevsky, there are cases when the popular mobile Trojan Joker was introduced into horoscope applications. So, a malware was discovered in the Moon Horoscope Android program on Google Play. At the end of 2025, we should expect a new wave of such infected applications, especially in shadow sources (alternative stores, hacked APK files, and so on).
— Scammers are likely to appear on Telegram channels, as well as in social media groups, promising an exclusive "New Year's Horoscope - 2026," the expert notes. — Attackers can attract subscribers, and then try to sell them something under the guise of astrological services — from personal alignment to magical talismans for good luck in the new year. They can also use chatbots: for example, an AI bot-an astrologer who, after a couple of free forecasts, will request a subscription payment.
What schemes on the topic of New Year's horoscopes have you encountered before
Previously, in the subject of New Year's horoscopes, scammers actively used schemes offering personalized or updated predictions for the coming year for a nominal or significant fee, promising to reveal details of fate in love, career and finances, says Marina Probets.
— This was often accompanied by the sale of amulets, talismans or rituals designed to enhance the positive aspects of the horoscope or neutralize the negative influence allegedly predicted by the stars, — says the interlocutor of Izvestia.
In addition, according to Marina Probets, there were offers of urgent consultations with "famous astrologers" or "psychics" on the Web, where users were convinced of the need for immediate action to prevent misfortune or attract good luck based on an individual horoscope, often followed by extortion of additional funds for cleansing the aura or correcting karma. Phishing campaigns masquerading as horoscope services to collect personal data or subscribe to expensive SMS services were also common.
Fraudsters' chances of success in implementing such schemes are increasing due to the fact that for most workers, the fourth quarter is the most stressful part of the year — scammers mainly act against them, says Alexander Vinokurov, technical account manager at R-Vision. Employees need to work harder, close tasks and projects, and build a plan for the next year. All this leads to overwork, which increases anxiety and increases stress levels with all the ensuing consequences.
"During such periods, a person becomes more vulnerable to external influences, especially if they are targeted and professionally trained," the expert notes. — That is why the risk of becoming a victim of fraud increases significantly at this moment.
How to protect yourself from fraud schemes on the topic of New Year's horoscopes
The danger of fraudulent schemes on the subject of New Year's horoscopes lies not only in direct financial losses for fictitious services, charms or subscriptions, but also in identity theft, as well as in serious psychological impact, Marina Probets says in an interview with Izvestia.
—Scammers can generate false hopes or, conversely, unfounded fear and anxiety, forcing victims to make irrational decisions based on fictional predictions, which can negatively affect their emotional state and real life," the expert warns.
To protect against any social engineering attacks, it is necessary to remain vigilant all year round and not succumb to the psychological manipulations of scammers, especially during periods of criminal activity such as New Year's Eve, says Roman Reznikov, an analyst at the Positive Technologies research group.
Before purchasing goods and services on the Internet, especially those distributed with a large discount or unique, personal conditions, it is necessary to verify the authenticity of the offer and the seller's good faith, the specialist advises. A five-minute check by a store or specialist will not require much effort, but it will potentially save you from financial losses, data leaks, and malware infection on your devices.
— It is important to always show critical thinking: do not believe promises of instant solutions to problems or a "guaranteed" future for money, avoid entering personal data or paying for services on suspicious sites, especially if they offer personalized predictions or magical attributes, and also remember that real experts will not demand urgent payments or intimidate negative consequences in case of refusal. Marina Probets concludes.
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