Elderly resident of Moscow transfers 5 kilograms of gold and over 63 million rubles to con artists
In an effort to combat cyber fraud, Russia has established a state anti-fraud system. This system, signed into law by President Vladimir Putin on April 1, 2022, includes a variety of measures designed to protect citizens from fraudulent activities.
One of the key measures is the introduction of mandatory caller ID for organization calls. This means that when an organization calls, the recipient will be able to reliably identify the caller's identity. This reduces the effectiveness of scam calls that rely on spoofing phone numbers or obfuscating the caller's identity.
Another measure is the prohibition of calls through messengers for certain groups, such as government agencies and bank employees. This restriction aims to increase call security and reduce opportunities for fraudsters to pose as legitimate officials via less secure communication channels.
The prosecutor's office advises ending conversations if unknown individuals ask for codes from messages, inquire about financial status, bank accounts, or valuable property. They also warn against conversations if individuals claim to be police officers offering to participate in remote criminal apprehension or video search.
The new system contains around 30 measures in total, all aimed at combating cyber fraud. The law also includes a self-ban on telephone spam calls and SMS broadcasts, as well as enhanced personal identification requirements for mobile phone subscribers.
Recently, a woman lost over 63.7 million rubles worth of property to fraudsters over five days of communication. The fraudsters used video calls during their communication with the woman, posing as employees of various organisations and even "fake employees of Roskomnadzor."
The fraudsters claimed to have issued powers of attorney in the woman's and her husband's names, and instructed her to hand over money and gold bars to couriers. The prosecutor's office is currently investigating the incident.
The increase in cyber fraud in Russia has been significant. In 2024, fraudsters stole a record 27.5 billion rubles from Russian bank accounts, an increase of 74.4% from 2023. These new measures are part of a broader crackdown on cyber fraud in Russia, which also includes new penalties for sharing SIM cards or phone access.
References:
[1] https://www.rbc.ru/technology_and_media/04/04/2022/5eb8927a9a794722d74c738b
- In light of the rising cyber fraud incidents, Russia's new system in general-news includes technology-based measures like the prohibition of calls through messengers for certain groups, such as government agencies and bank employees, to enhance cybersecurity and reduce opportunities for fraud.
- In response to the increasing cybersecurity threats and crime-and-justice issues, Russia's state anti-fraud system comprises approximately 30 measures, one of which is the mandatory caller ID for organization calls, to ensure authenticity and reduce the effectiveness of scam calls.
