Loan misadventure: scammers scare Russians with rumors about a family mortgage
While the authorities are discussing the new parameters of the family mortgage, reports began to spread massively on social networks about allegedly already approved changes to the program with a deterioration in its conditions, representatives of cybersecurity companies and real estate agencies told Izvestia. The authors of such publications offer assistance in obtaining a mortgage on current terms. Experts note that there are always buyers who want to jump into the last car, and this is a very fertile ground for scammers, because people are in a hurry and often act on emotions. Meanwhile, Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Chebeskov told Izvestia that a decision on the family mortgage is planned to be made by July. The final parameters of the program have not yet been disclosed.
Scammers spread rumors about a family mortgage
Rumors about new family mortgage conditions are multiplying on social networks, representatives of cybersecurity companies and real estate agencies told Izvestia. According to experts from Solar Group, unscrupulous intermediaries and outright scammers, posing as realtors and real estate market specialists, share supposedly exclusive information from "insider sources" about future changes to the program.
In particular, they say that the mortgage rate will be calculated "over the heads": for families with one child it will be 10-12%, with two — 6%, with three — 4%, with four and more — 0%. "If you don't have a stamp in your passport, the rate is 8-9% higher. Seize the moment before you rewrite the rules. Do you want to estimate your mortgage according to the old terms? Write to me personally," says one of the posts.
Another message says that if the mortgage was taken out before December 23, 2023, then after its repayment and the birth of a new child, it will be possible to get a "new family."
"Write the word "mortgage" — get a selection of apartments with a minimum down payment," the "experts" advise.
Among other things, they are trying to intimidate Russians. One of these "market specialists" wrote: "Mark my words: by September, prices for primary housing will rise by 15-20%. If you haven't used the family, let me help you buy an apartment with the use of maternity capital or without a down payment at all."
The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Construction have until July 1, 2026 to work out the issue of a differentiated family mortgage rate depending on the number of children. However, no decision has been made yet, Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Chebeskov told Izvestia.
He specified that the new conditions will be announced no later than July 1. The mechanism of changing the rate at the birth of a new child was discussed in detail. It was supposed to simplify the process as much as possible so that registration took place in semi-automatic mode and there was no need to submit many documents and certificates.
— We have always tried to reduce the burden on people, — Ivan Chebeskov added.
According to him, there was such a task, and this option was being worked out. However, it will be known by the end of the month exactly what conditions will be imposed on the family mortgage. The decision will be announced by the government.
How can scammers act
Attackers can take advantage of the period of uncertainty, said Alexander Vurasko, Director of Development at the Solar AURA External Digital Threat Monitoring Center at Solar Group.
According to him, scammers create fake websites of real estate agencies with tempting offers — for example, with prices noticeably lower than market prices. Stolen photos of real objects are posted there, and communication contacts lead directly to the scammers. For booking, you may be asked to deposit a deposit on your personal card and disappear after receiving the money.
"The scammer refuses a personal meeting at the last moment and offers to view the apartment online," he said. — To do this, he sends a phishing link to an online meeting. Clicking on it threatens to install malware on the device.: It is capable of intercepting passwords, bank card data, and other confidential information. At the same time, attackers can stay in touch for several days and even pretend to be working on a deal.
Scammers pick up any trends very quickly and exploit them for their own selfish purposes, Yulia Bocharnikova, executive director of the federal company Etagi, confirmed. For example, during the peak demand on the rental market in August and September, they often use fake ads to rent out "air".
— The excitement around the new changes in the family mortgage could not go unnoticed, — said the expert. — Every time changes in preferential mortgage programs lead to the emergence of a category of buyers who want to jump into the last carriage — and this is a very fertile ground for scammers, because people are in a hurry and often act on emotions.
According to her, someone who wants to save money begins to independently look for options for buying online and on aggregators, often without checking both the ad itself and the resource on which it is hosted.
— As a result, buyers fall for the bait of scammers, — said Yulia Bocharnikova. — The bait can be a very low price of an object or a literally free mortgage. The least that such a client can lose is a "booking fee" or a "deposit" for a non—existent object.
Kirill Levkin, Project manager at Softline Group (MD Audit), added that in such cases, several types of players are activated at once. These are not only classic scammers, but also gray lead generators, pseudo brokers and channels that make money from traffic. Their task is to create a sense of urgency and exclusivity in order to push a person to make a quick decision: leave contacts, make an advance payment or fix a deal on unfavorable terms.
What are the dangers of fakes?
Relying on questionable sources often leads to serious problems, experts stressed. A hasty decision on a loan without analyzing the real picture may lead to obtaining a mortgage on unfavorable terms, and later there may be really attractive programs that people will not be able to use, said Valery Tumin, director of Russian and CIS markets at Pham Properties.
— In addition, under the guise of "assistance in registration according to the old rules," scammers can offer paid services or try to extort personal data, — he added.
In order not to become a victim of fakes, it is important to critically evaluate information and check it against official sources. First of all, you should focus on the statements of the Bank of Russia, the Ministry of Finance, and specialized financial institutions like DOM.Russian Federation, as well as the legal information website.
— Do not buy into loud headlines with the promise of "exclusive information" from "anonymous insiders": if the amendments had already been approved, this would have been officially announced, — Valery Tumin emphasized. — It is always necessary to clarify the current conditions of the family mortgage in banks: their websites and call centers are required to provide reliable information. Be careful about the calls to "make it to a certain date".: This is a standard psychological pressure technique that has nothing to do with the actual practice of announcing changes.
Another reason for doubt is the lack of confirmed sources. If the authors refer only to "insiders", and their information differs from the official statements of the departments and does not appear on the websites of banks or government agencies, it is worth being wary, Kirill Levkin noted. If the proposal requires "acting right now," it is almost always a signal of risk rather than benefit, he warned.
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