Russians were given signs of fraudulent calls

Answering calls from unfamiliar numbers is becoming increasingly risky: in addition to promotional offers, scammers may be on the other end of the line. On March 10, experts from the Novophone cloud telephony service told Izvestia what signs it is worth paying attention to in order not to become a victim of deception and at the same time not to miss an important call.

According to them, one of the key signals is the lack of labeling of the number. Starting from September 1, 2025, calls from legal entities must be identified: the name of the company or the category of the call is displayed on the screen, and not just a set of numbers.

If the call is coming from a regular mobile number, especially from another region, and the interviewee introduces himself as an employee of a bank, telecom operator, or other organization, it is better to stop the conversation immediately.

"It is very important not to engage in dialogue. When a person starts communicating, scammers use social engineering methods, and it can be difficult to resist them," experts say.

Experts also recommend paying attention to the time of the call. According to the rules of business communication, company managers contact clients only during business hours. Calling too early or late may be an attempt to catch a person off guard.

Another important sign is an attempt to find out personal information. Company representatives usually already have all the necessary data in their customer databases and do not request confidential information over the phone. If the interviewee asks for personal information, this may indicate fraud.

Logged out of the chat: fraud in foreign messengers has decreased significantly

What measures have affected this and what new tricks can be expected from intruders?

At the same time, attackers can collect information about a potential victim in advance from open sources or leaked databases. This helps them create a more believable legend. In case of doubt, experts advise to stop the conversation and independently call the organization back at the number indicated on the official website.

The peculiarities of communication should also alert you. In large companies, operator conversations are strictly regulated, often recorded and accompanied by a recording warning. Extraneous noise, excessive emotionality, pressure, or attempts to rush the client may be signs of a fraudulent scheme.

Experts also remind that large companies, banks and government agencies do not use foreign messengers for business communication with clients. Therefore, messages or calls on behalf of such organizations in such services may be a reason for suspicion.

In addition, scammers actively use SMS messages disguised as banks, delivery services or telecom operators. However, they cannot send messages to the existing official dialogues, so you should pay attention to whether a new chat has appeared.

Experts advise you to follow simple security rules: do not answer suspicious calls, do not transfer personal data, do not make decisions under pressure and stop the conversation at the slightest doubt. It is also useful to connect the service of blocking spam calls from the telecom operator.

On March 4, the Roskachestvo Digital Expertise Center reported that fraudsters were using a scheme to replace contacts on their phones, sending messages with fake offers and attaching a file with an extension.vcf, which updates the contact in the phone book when opened. According to the press service, scammers send messages via messengers or by SMS, disguising them as notifications from banks, government agencies or open vacancies.

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