The expert named the signs of fraudulent schemes during the election campaigns

Elections are becoming the same informational occasion for fraudsters as holidays and other mass events. The attackers only change the cover story using the usual schemes — they promise payments and benefits or try to intimidate a person to force him to take an urgent action. The "Izvestia" was told about this on September 17 by the expert on information security "Kontur.Aegis" and Staffcop by Yuri Drachenin.

According to the expert, not all fakes that appear during election campaigns are directly related to attempts to steal money or data. Sometimes the goal of intruders is to make users believe in false information and spread it further. During the election period, fake messages may appear on behalf of candidates, election commissions or government agencies, forged documents, screenshots, as well as fake videos and audio recordings.

"Fictitious polls pose a particular danger. The fact of the survey itself is not suspicious, but users should check who is organizing it and why personal data is being collected. If, under the guise of research, a person is asked to go to an unknown website, log in, provide passport or bank information, and also provide an SMS code, it is better to refuse such actions," Drachenin explained.

According to him, one should not follow questionable links, regardless of whether they are related to the elections or not. Such pages can mimic official websites and be used to collect logins, passwords, bank card data, and other information. The expert recommends finding the official resources of organizations on your own, rather than checking information from links from suspicious messages.

Special attention should be paid to video and audio recordings. According to the expert, the quality of deepfakes is getting higher, so it becomes more difficult to identify a fake only by facial expressions or lip movements. If the questionable video or message came from someone you know, it's safer to contact them in another way and clarify whether they really sent this material. When checking public videos, the expert advised to look for the original source — the official website or accounts of the organization on whose behalf the information is distributed.

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There are also technical tools for detecting substitutions. For example, some services can analyze the video stream during a call and warn you about possible signs of using deepfakes.

According to Drachenin, caution is also necessary when working with chatbots. You cannot transfer passport data, bank information, passwords, and confirmation codes to unknown services. The name, logo, or use of state symbols alone do not guarantee the safety of the bot.

If the user is faced with an attempt to steal money or personal data, it is necessary to contact the police. In case of possible violations directly related to the elections, you can report them to the election commission.

If fraudulent links, fake accounts, or fake materials are distributed through social networks and messengers, you should use complaint tools within the platforms. According to the expert, the main sign of a fraudulent scheme remains pressure on a person: the promise of benefits, an attempt to scare, an urgent requirement to click on a link or transfer data.

Drachenin also urged not to spread dubious information just because it came from an acquaintance. The user may not be the source of the message, but only transmit a fake received earlier.

Sofya Svechnikova, an assistant at the Department of State and Municipal Management at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, said on September 14 that residents of 32 regions of Russia who plan to participate in remote electronic voting (DEG) in the State Duma elections on September 18-20, 2026, should check their account on "Gosuslugi" in advance and submit an application by 23:59-14 September Moscow time. After sending the application, the status "Considered" should appear in your personal account. Clicking the button when the page is frozen does not in itself confirm the submission of the application.