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- The price of the answer: during the exam period, scammers are more active in attacking students
The price of the answer: during the exam period, scammers are more active in attacking students
An increase in fraudulent schemes aimed at schoolchildren and future students has been recorded in Russia, cybersecurity companies reported. The main method of deception is the sale of answers to the OGE and USE. This year, popular messengers have become the main platforms for distributing such offers. Another working scheme is fake ads about tutoring services. About what other tricks the attackers use, see the Izvestia article.
How schoolchildren are attacked
Fraudsters began to actively attack schoolchildren and applicants on the eve of the exam period — the number of incidents increased significantly, cybersecurity companies told Izvestia. One of the most popular and effective deception schemes was the sale of answers to the OGE and USE assignments, said a data analyst at the RU/ Domain Coordination Center.Russian Federation Evgeny Pankov.
"This year, popular messengers have become the main platforms for distributing such offers," the expert said. — Scammers play on the fear of graduates not being able to cope with exams and the desire of parents to help children successfully pass the certification.
According to Evgeny Pankov, hackers most often create phishing resources under the guise of response sales services. From the messenger channel, the user is offered to go to a special website and pay for access to materials with answers to exam assignments.
"After the transfer of money, the promised answers are either not provided at all, or they turn out to be unreliable or outdated," the expert added. — A more dangerous option is when, instead of paying, they offer to go through authorization through Gosuslugi. As a result, the attackers gain access to the account, which opens up opportunities for further manipulation.
Another popular scheme is fake ads about tutoring services. The scammers post them and ask for an advance payment. After receiving the money, the "tutor" stops contacting.
Attackers are increasingly using social engineering methods, realizing that applicants and schoolchildren are more vulnerable and emotionally involved in the admission and exam process, said Softline Group (MD Audit) Project Manager Kirill Levkin. Not only the number of attacks is growing, but also their quality: scenarios are becoming more personalized and plausible.
— Phishing mailings and messages in messengers are widespread, allegedly from universities, schools or educational platforms, — said Kirill Levkin. — The topics of enrollment, exam results, and additional lists are often used. A separate vector is hacking accounts in social networks, followed by sending malicious links on behalf of friends.
Who else suffers during the exam period
The threats are not limited to fraudulent websites and phishing mailings, said Andrey Sidenko, head of Online Child Safety at Kaspersky Lab. One of the most urgent risks remains online grooming - attempts to establish a trusting relationship with a child or teenager on the Internet for further manipulation, obtaining personal information, photos, or engaging in illegal activities.
According to Kaspersky Lab's annual report "Adults and Children on the Internet", 22% of children have communicated online with adult strangers at least once in the last year, and among teenagers aged 15-17, this figure reaches 34%.
—The development of generative AI creates new risks associated with digital harassment and the creation of deepfakes," he said. — Such technologies can be used to fake images and videos, blackmail or psychological pressure on teenagers.
Sometimes students and applicants themselves attract the attention of scammers by clicking on suspicious links and visiting unsafe sites. From February 23 to May 17, 2026, experts blocked at least 32.1 billion requests to such resources across Russia, Solar Group analysts said. From 60% to 85% of the blockages accounted for the so—called malvertising - malicious online advertising. Another notable trend is the growing interest of users in AI services, which is also actively used by hackers.
In addition, attackers are able to take over the accounts of users of government services. The scenario may look like this: graduates submit documents through the state service, after which they receive calls or letters from individuals disguised as admissions officers.
— Under the pretext of verifying the correctness of the data, they ask to confirm the information and name the code from the SMS, — said Dmitry Kiryushkin. — By dictating the numbers, the user actually gives the scammers the opportunity to gain access to their account.
Why do teenagers buy answers?
Exams create a favorable environment for manipulation: a person is under stress, afraid to miss a chance, and therefore often makes decisions in a hurry, said Dmitry Sytsko, Director of Information Technology at BKS Bank.
"Teenagers are especially vulnerable not because they are less proficient in technology: many of them actively use digital services," the expert noted. — The problem is different: they have less experience in recognizing manipulation. Against the background of exam stress, a suggestion to quickly solve an important problem may look convincing. In addition, teenagers are often afraid to admit to their parents that they have tried to buy answers or have already transferred money.
It is important for parents to talk openly with their child about the risks in advance: give specific examples of lost money or hacked accounts, explain that bank details and passwords should not be disclosed, and monitor the teenager's activity on social networks and messengers, Dmitry Sytsko added.
— Emotional support reduces anxiety, and hence the susceptibility to manipulation, — said the expert. — If the child still falls for the trick, the main thing is not to scold, but to act quickly: change passwords, check the device, contact the bank if necessary and warn friends.
The founder of the Faculty of Psychology and Contemplative Sciences of Sri Sri University, Honorary Doctor of UrFU Sri Sri Ravi Shankar added that it is important for a child to be given the opportunity to believe in himself, his actions should become conscious.
— It is awareness that helps to avoid mistakes that people make based on emotions, — he noted. — First, do not instill a sense of shame. Confidence will not arise through him. Pressure is counterproductive. A child who thinks about the answers does not believe that he can learn. Because he doesn't believe in himself. If you say that taking the exam is difficult or scary, this is a negative attitude. Turn your mind around: tell them that the exam is interesting.
In order not to become victims of such schemes, applicants and their parents should be careful and use only official resources, experts say. When submitting documents through government services, it is worth enabling two-factor authentication. It is also recommended to conduct trainings on detecting phishing emails and other social engineering methods.
Parents should regularly talk to their children about digital security rules and be interested in what they are doing online and who they are communicating with, Andrei Sidenko added. This increases the chances that a teenager will recognize the danger in time if communication with an online interlocutor begins to arouse suspicion, and either stop it or seek help if faced with pressure or blackmail.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
