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Craving for beauty: what schemes to expect from scammers before March 8
Fraudsters may use various schemes to deceive Russians before March 8, experts have warned about this. Malefactors enjoy the popularity of International Women's Day in Russia: such dates create suitable conditions for the implementation of schemes related to social engineering. For more information about what tricks to expect from scammers before March 8, 2026, what are the dangers of such schemes and how to protect yourself from them, see the Izvestia article
What attracts scammers on March 8?
International Women's Day is one of the most popular holidays in Russia and the world. Such dates create suitable conditions for the implementation of fraudulent schemes related to social engineering, Konstantin Gorbunov, a leading expert on network threats and web developer of the Security Code company, says in an interview with Izvestia.
— People buy gifts en masse, often in a hurry, click on links leading to promotional offers, and order delivery, — says the expert. — Against this background, attentiveness and the level of critical thinking decrease, which is what the attackers use.
On the eve of International Women's Day, the demand for floral and sweet bouquets, event tickets, as well as tourist vouchers and various decorations is growing sharply, adds the head of BI.ZONE Digital Risk Protection Dmitry Kiryushkin. Scammers track users' interest in certain topics and use this information in their schemes.
In turn, Sergey Polunin, head of the Gazinformservice IT infrastructure Solutions protection group, notes that on the eve of March 8, fraudsters target not only individuals, but also companies that buy gifts for their employees, partners and customers.
— It is simply impossible not to take advantage of such an attack surface, — the specialist emphasizes.
What kind of fraudulent schemes to expect before the holiday
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) continues to develop rapidly, creating new tools for fraudsters, says Nikolai Dolgov, an expert on cybersecurity at Angara Security. In particular, in 2026, before March 8, we can expect the appearance of personalized phishing messages that actually mimic the communication style of a particular person, such as a partner, colleague, or support employee.
— Voice messages created by AI will be used to confirm "orders" or "pay for delivery," the source told Izvestia. — Deepfake video campaigns are also likely to appear, in which well-known brands or bloggers will promise gifts for International Women's Day.
Another possible area of fraudulent activity is automated platforms for the mass generation of fake online stores with reviews, photos, and "real" comments created by AI. Such sites will appear within hours and disappear immediately after receiving money from the victims. In 2026, the speed and quality of masking such schemes will increase, Nikolai Dolgov predicts.
At the same time, according to Dmitry Kiryushkin, the attackers do not invent fundamentally new schemes, but only adapt current scenarios to the agenda and interests of users. As a rule, cybercriminals create domains that mimic the websites of well-known brands. At the same time, such resources are very similar to the original ones, but as soon as the user enters the bank card data or transfers money, the attackers steal the victim's funds.
— Fraudulent schemes can be encountered not only in browser search results, but also in social networks and instant messengers, — the expert warns. — There, the attackers disguise themselves as ordinary users who sell, for example, tickets to events at a special price. Despite the fact that scammers choose different platforms to search for victims, their goal is always the same — to steal money or data.
What deception schemes have you encountered before March 8?
Fraudsters have been trying to use various schemes to deceive Russians on the eve of International Women's Day for several years. In particular, as Olga Altukhova, a cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky Lab, says in an interview with Izvestia, attackers had previously exploited the holiday with the schemes "photo contests for children's drawings by March 8" and "free subscription to Telegram Premium."
"In fact, people lost access to their messenger accounts after entering their phone number and SMS code, and also installed malware applications on their gadgets by clicking on the messenger links," says the specialist.
In 2025, fraudsters most often resorted to schemes with fake delivery of flowers and gifts, Dmitry Kiryushkin notes. More sophisticated options were also popular when scammers searched for victims on dating sites and apps. Under the pretext of going to a restaurant or an event, the attackers asked the victims to book tickets and sent them links to phishing resources.
In addition, last year, BI.ZONE AntiFraud specialists noted cases of "surprises" from marketplaces and "holiday sweepstakes." More than 80 scenarios with fake gifts from online phishing trading platforms and notifications of allegedly won cash prizes were recorded.
— Usually, victims were offered to pay for "delivery" or "commission" or were asked to dictate a code from an SMS, — says Dmitry Kiryushkin. — After that, funds were debited or the victim lost access to personal data. This year, we predict that scammers are likely to actively use such scenarios again.
Such attacks are usually aimed at a wide range of users, from young people choosing gifts to older people who receive messages about "prizes won," adds Nikolai Dolgov. The danger of such schemes is that they can look as plausible as possible: with a beautiful website design, fake reviews, logos of real companies and well-designed newsletters.
How to protect yourself from scammers
The consequences of fraudulent attacks on the eve of March 8 can be serious: from leakage of personal data and compromise of bank cards to theft of money and infection of the device with malware, Nikolay Dolgov notes. And in some cases, fraudsters use the stolen data for further attacks, for example, to make calls "on behalf of the bank." In order to protect themselves from such threats, experts interviewed by Izvestia advise following certain safety rules.
— The appetites of cybercriminals are growing, so it is important to be aware of current fraudulent schemes and ways to protect against them, — says Dmitry Kiryushkin. — It is worth remembering that free or extremely profitable offers are a clear sign that you are facing scammers.
In addition, attackers can use psychological tricks, informing the victim about any technical error in the order or the need to provide clarifying information. Therefore, it is important to remain vigilant and not lose concentration, always check data on official resources and purchase goods only on trusted platforms, the expert advises.
You should not rush to follow the links, even if they were sent by a friend or relative, because their account could have been hacked. Before that, it is necessary to check the domain, advises Konstantin Gorbunov. In addition, it is important to use two-factor authorization and a separate bank card with a minimum balance for online purchases. You can't send SMS codes, as well as codes from push notifications, to anyone. And in case of an unexpected call from the delivery service, you should immediately hang up the phone and call back to the official number of the company.
— We recommend that you be critical of the various generous offers on the Web. And the most reliable way to protect yourself is to install a good security solution that will prevent you from clicking on a phishing or scam link, as well as installing malware on your device," concludes Olga Altukhova.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
