- Статьи
- Internet and technology
- Autumn exacerbation: how scammers use the theme of relaxation in the velvet season
Autumn exacerbation: how scammers use the theme of relaxation in the velvet season
Fraudsters can use various schemes on the topic of holidays during the velvet season to deceive Russians, experts have warned about this. Scammers are attracted by the high demand for travel in September, which they begin booking in the summer. Read the Izvestia article for details on what schemes to expect during the velvet season in 2026, what are the dangers of such tricks and how to protect yourself from them.
Why is the topic of recreation in the velvet season interesting to scammers
Many people postpone travel for the velvet season, so fraudsters are no less interested in it than in the summer months, Maxim Markin, an information security specialist at the Digital Economy League, says in an interview with Izvestia. Tourists expect to find more affordable tickets, tours and accommodation for September, but good options for popular dates are quickly running out.
— Attackers simultaneously use both the desire to save money and the fear of missing out on a profitable offer: for example, they report that the last number is left, the discount is valid for only a few hours, or the reservation needs to be urgently confirmed, — says the expert.
Holidays in the velvet season are often specially chosen by those who expect a decline in prices and rely on "last-minute" offers, adds Dmitry Zubarev, director of the analytical center of the IT company Ural Center for Security Systems (UCSB). Scammers are well aware of this and offer tours, tickets and accommodation at prices noticeably below market prices, which fuels the interest of the target audience.
At the same time, profitable offers quickly fly away, which is why citizens rush to pay for fear of missing out on profitable options. This is what makes the theme of the velvet season so attractive to scammers: haste and lowered vigilance are ideal conditions for the use of social engineering.
What schemes on the topic of recreation in the velvet season to expect in 2026
Fraudsters closely monitor the information agenda and adapt their schemes to significant events and periods, including the velvet season, says Dmitry Galov, head of Kaspersky GReAT in Russia. In 2026, hackers may distribute fake resources with travel surveys, promising discounts on tours, flights, or other bonuses for completing them.
"In fact, such sites are used to collect data that can later be used in other fraudulent schemes,— the Izvestia source notes.
In addition, Kaspersky Lab specialists discovered a fake website that imitates the resource of the well-known airline Ryanair. Users received messages about the alleged compensation for the flight, but to receive it, they were asked to enter their credentials or pay a small "processing fee." As a result, instead of compensation, people lost money and their accounts.
Fraudsters also use the high demand of travelers for mobile communications abroad, Dmitry Galov notes. Last July, for example, experts discovered a series of fake websites of popular foreign telecom operators created to steal money and financial information from tourists.
— Based on the experience of previous years and taking into account the development of technologies that allow cybercriminals to create dozens and hundreds of decoy sites in a short time, it can be assumed that in 2026, attackers will be able to adapt the well-known fraudulent schemes Mammoth and FakeDate (fake dates) to the theme of recreation and the velvet season, as they can easily be redirected to travel content," says Evgeny Egorov, a leading analyst at F6's Digital Risk Protection department.
Cybercriminals, according to the expert, can, among other things, offer flights to the seaside with big discounts, and instead of "dates at the theater" — romantic tours for couples. In addition, there may be an increase in the number of fraudulent calls offering "free tours" on behalf of "social funds" allegedly providing tours for pensioners and large families, experts at MTS Defender believe.
What schemes on the topic of recreation in the velvet season have you encountered before
Meanwhile, scammers have been trying to speculate on the topic of recreation during the velvet season for several years. In particular, one of the most widespread earlier was a scheme in which attackers created fake booking sites, says Alexandra Shmigirilova, GR director of the Security Code information security company, in an interview with Izvestia.
— If a user entered their data there, for example, from a personal account in the bank's application, they became the "prey" of fraudsters, — says the expert. — Previously, this required a lot of time and effort on the part of scammers: they needed to create a fairly plausible website that contains information about a hotel, guest house or recreation center, as well as develop a fake payment page.
Because of this, fake booking schemes were not so common, but now they are becoming more frequent thanks to AI tools, the editorial interlocutor notes. Meanwhile, according to Evgeny Egorov, fraudsters' schemes on the topic of recreation during the velvet season create a number of threats. The first risk is the compromise of personal data. Attackers on behalf of a travel agency can request scans of passports, SNILS and INN, driver's licenses and other documents to "make a reservation" or under other pretexts.
After receiving such data, attackers can use it in other criminal schemes or sell it on shady sites. The second risk is clicking on questionable links. Promotional messages with "great deals" and "burning tours" often hide links that look legitimate, but lead to fake sites or download malicious code.
"When clicking on such links, the user risks giving cybercriminals access to their credentials in various services, money, and infecting the device with malicious software,— warns Evgeny Egorov.
How to protect yourself from holiday schemes during the velvet season
In order to protect themselves from fraud schemes on the topic of recreation during the velvet season, experts interviewed by Izvestia advise following certain cybersecurity rules. In particular, Maxim Markin recommends that when planning trips, book and pay for accommodation, tickets and tours only through trusted platforms or directly on the official websites of companies.
— A request to go to any messenger, transfer money to an individual's card, or pay via an external link in order to "save on commission" is a serious sign of risk, the expert warns.
In addition, according to Maxim Markin, when buying a tour, it is important to check the full name of the company, the INN and the registration number of the tour operator or travel agent, as well as verify the details of the payee with the contract. Before entering the card details, you should carefully study the page address: fraudsters often replace one letter, add an extra word, or use a different domain ending.
The lock icon in the address bar only means a secure connection, but it does not confirm the site owner's honesty — fraudsters can also get a certificate. If in doubt, it is better to find the official phone number of the hotel, carrier or service yourself and clarify whether they are really waiting for payment. You can't follow links from emails and messages if it's about a surcharge, card confirmation, booking cancellation, or money refund.
— If you communicate only with trusted companies, you are already reducing your risks, — concludes Sergey Polunin, head of the IT infrastructure Solutions Protection group at Gazinformservice. — If you add care to this and check the sites you visit and the data you share, this is another plus to your security. After all, attentiveness and introspection work much better than technical means.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
