Useless approach: how scammers use the topic of giving up bad habits
Fraudsters can use the topic of giving up bad habits to deceive Russians, experts have warned about this. Attackers take advantage of people's desire to change themselves for the better by disguising malicious websites and applications as useful services. For more information about how scammers use the topic of quitting bad habits, what are the dangers of such tricks and how to protect yourself from them, read the Izvestia article.
Why is the topic of giving up bad habits interesting to scammers?
The topic of quitting bad habits attracts scammers, because people who decide to quit smoking, leave alcohol or other addictions in the past, are often in an emotionally vulnerable state and are ready to look for quick and easy solutions, Ekaterina Edemskaya, a cybersexpert and engineering analyst at Gazinformservice, says in an interview with Izvestia.
—The attackers use this by offering supposedly unique drugs, online consultations, author's techniques, or specialist help," the expert says. — Under the guise of such services, they extort money, personal data or bank card details, and sometimes spread malware through websites and applications.
An addicted person often does not look for a way to change behavior, but for a replacement for another "magic pill," adds Yakov Filevsky, an expert in sociotechnical testing at Angara Security. Yesterday, this "pill" was alcohol or nicotine, and today it's becoming a dubious "miracle course." It is enough to promise that no one will find out anything, and the result will appear without doctors, taking into account consumption, compliance with the regime and unpleasant work on oneself, the specialist notes.
What schemes on the topic of quitting bad habits can we expect in 2026
In 2026, we can expect an increase in fraudulent schemes using artificial intelligence, Ekaterina Edemskaya believes. The attackers will create convincing websites, chatbots, and videos with alleged recommendations from doctors or famous people, offering a "guaranteed" rejection of bad habits.
—In general, "neurobloggers" are already widespread: avatars of non—existent people who tell us how to live on social networks," says Yakov Filevsky in an interview with Izvestia. — Is it worth saying that often such a non-existent "doctor" can give harmful and unverified advice?
Kaspersky GReAT expert Leonid Bezvershenko agrees that in the future, scammers are likely to increasingly use neural networks to create convincing fake AI services that supposedly help to give up bad habits and optimize their lifestyle. However, their purpose will remain the same — the theft of personal and payment data, as well as the distribution of malicious software. In addition, the risks associated with the sale of counterfeit drugs, paid courses without real value and fake charity programs remain, Ekaterina Edemskaya adds. Another threat is the theft of personal and payment data under the pretext of registering for free consultations or diagnostics.
— People trying to get rid of addictions are in a state of stress, uncertainty and are often ready to believe in "magic solutions", — experts of the MTS Defender protection service against fraudulent and spam calls note. — Scammers actively use this, guaranteeing a quick and easy way to pay in advance: they offer a "miracle technique" or an "author's course" that supposedly will bring results.
What schemes have you encountered before on the topic of quitting bad habits?
Meanwhile, scammers have been trying to speculate on the topic of quitting bad habits for years. According to Ekaterina Edemskaya, earlier attackers actively used websites and pages on social networks, where they offered "miracle remedies" for quitting smoking, alcohol or other addictions with the promise of instant results. Users were persuaded to pay for non-existent medications, courses, or specialist consultations.
— Fraudsters often copied the websites of well—known clinics, sent phishing emails offering free help or asked to take a survey to get an "individual program", after which they stole personal and bank data, - says the interlocutor of Izvestia.
Leonid Bezvershenko, in turn, recalls that earlier Kaspersky Lab specialists recorded a campaign based on the topic of healthy lifestyle. The attackers created Telegram chats on behalf of sports clubs and offered to download a free nutrition monitoring application with functions for calculating calories, BZHU and recognizing dishes from photos.
In fact, a dropper was distributed under the guise of a useful Android application, a malicious program designed to download another VPO that could steal money and personal data from users. At the same time, messages with offers were periodically deleted and posted again in order to constantly attract new victims.
What are the dangers of schemes on the topic of giving up bad habits?
Such schemes are primarily aimed at people who want to get rid of bad habits and are looking for effective help, says Ekaterina Edemskaya. At the same time, those who experience stress, act emotionally, or expect quick results are especially vulnerable.
"The main risk group is people who really want to change something about themselves," experts from MTS Defender, a fraud and spam call protection service, add in an interview with Izvestia. — These can be adults with long-term addiction or other personal difficulties, as well as young people who want quick results.
According to Ekaterina Edemskaya, the danger of fraudulent schemes on the topic of abandoning bad habits lies not only in financial losses, but also in the leakage of personal data, compromise of bank cards and the installation of high-security systems. In addition, by trusting scammers, a person can refuse real medical care and lose valuable time.
How to protect yourself from schemes on the topic of giving up bad habits
In order to protect yourself from fraudulent schemes on the topic of quitting bad habits, experts interviewed by Izvestia advise following certain safety rules. Leonid Bezvershenko advises not to download applications and files via links from messengers, chats and messages from unknown senders, even if they promise to quickly and effectively help achieve a useful goal.
— Install applications only from official stores, update the operating system and programs regularly, and use a reliable security solution that will help detect phishing resources and malware, — he says.
In order not to become a victim of fraudsters, it is important to be critical of any promises of a quick and guaranteed cessation of bad habits, Ekaterina Edemskaya notes. You should not buy drugs or pay for services through unknown websites or through links from messages in messengers or social networks. Before contacting us, you need to check the information about the clinic or specialist, study reviews from various sources and make sure that there are official contacts. It is also forbidden to disclose confirmation codes, bank card details and other confidential data to outsiders.
— It is best to contact government agencies: this way there is less risk of being deceived," concludes Yakov Filevsky. — Remember one thing: there is no miracle, and getting rid of addiction will require your own efforts. An outside expert can only help you develop discipline or inspire you.
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