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- Pedagogical technique: how scammers speculate on the topic of tutoring
Pedagogical technique: how scammers speculate on the topic of tutoring
Hackers can use various schemes on the topic of tutor services to deceive Russians, experts have warned about this. In the run-up to exams, the demand for such services is increasing dramatically, and scammers are actively using it: interest from schoolchildren and their parents makes it easier to involve users in phishing and scam scenarios. For more information about what schemes to expect from scammers on tutoring services in the spring of 2026, what are the dangers of such tricks and how to protect yourself from them, read the Izvestia article.
What is the topic of tutoring services interesting to scammers?
The topic of tutoring services is attractive to intruders because of its pronounced seasonality and its audience, for which it is possible to create a plausible scenario, says Andrey Sidenko, head of online child safety at Kaspersky Lab, in an interview with Izvestia.
"In the run—up to exams, the demand for such services is increasing dramatically, and scammers are actively using it: interest from schoolchildren and their parents makes it easier to involve users in phishing and scam scenarios," says the expert.
The topic of tutoring is attractive to intruders because it is regular and has a pronounced seasonal interest, agrees Sergey Zolotukhin, cybersecurity consultant at F6. This feature allows attackers to prepare in advance, use old practices and improve the schemes used from year to year.
In turn, Maria Mikhailova, head of the Angara MTDR brand protection group, points out that the online tutor segment is fragmented - there are many platforms and private ads where scammers can disguise themselves as reliable teachers. Fake profiles are quickly created on social networks and bulletin boards, which lowers the entry threshold for intruders.
What schemes on the topic of tutoring services to expect in 2026
In the spring of 2026, seasonal schemes should be expected against the background of preparation for the OGE and the Unified State Exam, as well as for university entrance exams, predicts Irina Dmitrieva, an analytical engineer at Gazinformservice. In fact, spring is the peak of demand for tutors, which provokes an abundance of fabricated ads from false educators, the expert notes.
— The convenience of using this topic lies in different attack vectors, — says the interlocutor of Izvestia. — For example, a fraudster may try to visit the victim with a phishing link.
In online training, according to Irina Dmitrieva, classes are held in Zoom, Google Meet and similar sites, which allows an attacker to catch a victim on a fake link and steal data at the authorization stage. Another option is to add a prepaid script to access the video call. Touching upon the issue of money transfers, scammers can also request a deposit for the first lesson in order to book a "tutor" time.
After receiving the funds, the attacker blocks his potential client and disappears, the specialist warns. At the same time, stolen tutor accounts can also be used to send phishing messages. In successful scenarios, the victim will not notice the trick and will comply with the fraudster's requests, since the account is verified on a moderated platform.
"In the spring of 2026, we should expect fake tutor pages and online schools with unique offers and guarantees of high exam scores," says Konstantin Gorbunov, an expert on network threats at the Security Code company. — Social engineering will also be actively used around upcoming exams: messages about urgent "places in the group", "last stream before the Unified State Exam and OGE" or "discount only today".
In addition, according to the expert, schemes involving the transfer of communication to a messenger and attempts to gain access to accounts are likely, for example, under the guise of record confirmation, identity or verification. The resulting compromised profile will then be used to further deceive potential victims.
What schemes have you encountered before on the topic of tutoring services?
According to experts interviewed by Izvestia, fraudsters have been trying to use various schemes on the topic of tutor services for several years. Andrey Sidenko notes that such tricks are usually built around two key goals — data theft or money theft.
— For example, a user may be asked to register on an "educational platform" or get access to exam preparation materials by requesting authorization through a third—party service, - says the expert. — As a result, attackers receive one-time codes or other credentials, which they can then use to access accounts.
In alternative scenarios, the victim is offered to pay for the services of a non-existent tutor, who, of course, has the highest grades and comments from those who studied for the exam with him: all of them, as a rule, are fake, Andrei Sidenko notes. According to Irina Dmitrieva, the target audience of such attacks are parents of schoolchildren, high school students and students.
Parents strive to prepare their children for exams and are ready to invest any means in a successful result. They face this in complete ignorance of what awaits them when they meet a tutor, so they may get confused when faced with a scammer. At the same time, high school students strive to save money and find tutoring services at a reduced cost, which can lead to phishing using any vector of social engineering.
"Tutors themselves are also at risk, whose accounts are being compromised by scammers,— warns Irina Dmitrieva. — Fake clients can send phishing links to steal an account.
The danger of such schemes is that profiles can be used for further provocations, extorting funds from relatives and acquaintances, and creating deepfakes based on personal materials to build trust, the expert says. Financial expenses can become enormous if the fraudster convincingly fulfilled his role as a "tutor".
How to protect yourself from fraud schemes on the topic of tutor services
Preparing for an exam in any subject, as well as for the OGE and the Unified State Exam, is a long process, Maria Mikhailova says in an interview with Izvestia. At the same time, an urgent search for an online tutor actually becomes a stressful situation on the eve of the final test - a person loses his vigilance and is ready to accept the first suitable offer, especially if the interlocutor speaks calmly and confidently, and also convinces of the possibility to solve problems with a guarantee and in a short time.
— To avoid stressful situations and avoid falling into the hands of scammers, it is recommended to look for tutors in advance on specialized specialist search platforms where the teacher's identity is verified, or in online schools that are licensed for educational activities, - the expert recommends. — You can also use the services of teachers recommended by friends and acquaintances based on their personal experience.
Here are some more tips to help protect yourself from fraud schemes.:
— be careful about personal messages from unknown people who responded to your request in messenger chats and offer their services on super favorable terms. Check information about such teachers on specialized specialist search platforms. For example, write or call a person using the contacts listed on the site to verify or clarify information.;
— never pay for lessons in advance if you are not sure about the counterparty.;
"the call to immediately pay for the entire course or half of it after responding to an ad, notification of a limited number of places and early booking of a convenient time is a reason to be wary and look for another teacher,— concludes Maria Mikhailova.
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