Resolved without refund: how scammers speculate on the topic of debt cancellation
Fraudsters began to deceive Russians, offering them to write off debts, the Interior Ministry warned about this. According to the agency, scammers send letters to potential victims telling them about the state program for debt cancellation through the IFC, which does not actually exist. For more information about how fraudsters speculate on the topic of debt cancellation, how dangerous their schemes are and how to protect themselves from them, read the Izvestia article.
What is known about the new fraud scheme on debt cancellation
The Department for Combating the Illegal Use of Information and Communication Technologies (UBK) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia reported in its Telegram channel that fraudsters began to deceive Russians by offering them to write off debts. As follows from the message, scammers send letters to potential victims in which they talk about the state program for debt cancellation through the IFC, which actually does not exist.
In their messages, the scammers suggest clicking on the link and taking some kind of test to assess the chances of debt relief. UBK warned that in fact such a link leads to a phishing resource: if a user enters an SMS code there, his data will end up in the hands of intruders. The cyber police also reminded that there are no government debt relief programs in Russia. The only mechanism by which a person can write off all his debts remains the bankruptcy procedure.
What is the topic of debt cancellation interesting to scammers?
According to the Bank of Russia, the volume of overdue debts of Russians on unsecured loans by 2026 will amount to a record 1.65 trillion rubles, which is about a third higher than in the previous year, Maria Mikhailova, head of the Angara MTDR brand protection group, said in an interview with Izvestia. According to various studies, from a third to a half of borrowers experience problems with repayment of loans and allow late payments.
"This creates fertile ground for fraudsters to act, as it immediately identifies the range of potential victims — people who find themselves in financial difficulties and are exposed to debt obligations," the expert notes. — It is possible that some of them have previously faced pressure from collectors, so any suggestions from scammers will seem particularly interesting to them.
In addition, according to Maria Mikhailova, fraudsters often disguise their actions as supposedly legitimate legal services. For example, most people have heard about the bankruptcy procedure of individuals, but only a few really understand exactly how this procedure is implemented. That is why the attention of potential victims is attracted by "tests", supposedly allowing them to assess the likelihood of successful debt cancellation on just a few issues.
What debt cancellation schemes should we expect in 2026
Fraudulent schemes with debt cancellation are schemes "for all time" that are always relevant, says Lev Afanasyev, head of Innostage's anti—fraud department. At the same time, some bursts of activity in their use by intruders can be observed after a period of recruiting new loans — for gifts for the New Year or the purchase of summer vouchers.
—In 2026, criminals may more actively use both original phishing pages and create copies of official government resources, offering debt cancellation services or a quick bankruptcy procedure," Maria Mikhailova predicts in an interview with Izvestia. — To spread their offers, they actively use social networks and messengers, publish fake reviews of satisfied customers and advertise "successful cases".
Such scams are often accompanied by the spread of malicious links or an offer to pay for the service directly, the expert notes. In turn, Mikhail Sergeev, a leading engineer at CorpSoft24, believes that fraudsters will use the data from the leaks to address people by name, know the amount of debt or the creditor bank. It is also possible to use calls and messages involving AI bots that mimic employees of the MFC, banks or lawyers, and the appearance of fake websites with authorization through "Public Services" to steal credentials. A separate risk is fake chatbots in messengers that guide each victim step by step.
What schemes on the topic of debt cancellation have you encountered before
According to experts interviewed by Izvestia, hackers have been trying to speculate on debt cancellation for years. So, according to Mikhail Sergeev, earlier there were often offers of "guaranteed debt cancellation" for prepayment of legal services and schemes with fake law firms that took money and disappeared. In addition, SMS messages or letters about "bank debt forgiveness" with a click on a malicious link were distributed.
— In some cases, the victim was persuaded to apply for a new loan, ostensibly to close the old debt, — says the expert. — In all cases, the result was even greater financial losses.
Last summer, service websites became more active, promising a quick bankruptcy procedure for a fee, adds Maria Mikhailova. These projects turned out to be a trap where citizens paid for non-existent services and left their own data at the disposal of criminals. And last fall, schemes appeared involving proposals to write off debts under mythical government programs or "financial amnesty." People trustfully handed over personal data, SNILS numbers and bank details to the scammers.
Cybercriminals' debt cancellation schemes are primarily aimed at people with large debts and little chance of paying them off quickly, says Alexandra Shmigirilova, GR director of the Security Code information security company. For example, those who have lost their jobs and do not understand how to pay their loans may be at risk. In a difficult situation, people are more vulnerable to promises and seek any solution to their problems.
— The danger of such schemes is typical for fraud in general — it is enough to engage in communication, follow the suggested links, enter personal data or codes to be at risk, — warns the specialist. — As a result, all remaining funds may be lost. Malware can be installed on the phone unnoticeably, which will give fraudsters control over the device, access to all personal data and applications.
How to protect yourself from fraud schemes on debt cancellation
The main way to protect yourself from fraudsters' tricks on debt cancellation is to verify information: according to Alexandra Shmigirilova, first of all it is necessary to understand on what grounds the debt cancellation proposal is based. To do this, it is worth exploring on the Internet how such programs actually function: if the program is official, you can easily find links to a specific legislative act and the responsible agency.
— The next step is to contact the official website of this ministry or authority — it contains all the detailed information about the requirements for program participants, — says the interlocutor of Izvestia. — There is no need to fill out questionnaires on third-party resources when all information can be obtained from the original source.
If there is not enough information in open sources or it is presented mainly on unofficial websites, this is a reason for increased attention. If the MFC is mentioned in the proposal, you can clarify the information directly there or through a bot on the Gosuslugi portal. Observing digital hygiene and verifying information on official websites are two key rules that make it possible to secure personal data and funds, concludes Alexandra Shmigirilova.
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