Russian Cybersecurity Companies Warn of New Year “Stop Filter”

Russian companies have outlined the most common cyber-fraud schemes used during holidays and long weekends. According to analysts at Rostelecom and Solar, criminals are expected to actively push tactics such as “holiday bonuses,” “discounted tariffs,” and “credited reward points.” In December, scammers most often call while posing as bank employees, mobile operators, utility service providers, postal services, or the Gosuslugi public services portal.

The most popular cover stories, cybersecurity companies say, involve “suspicious transactions,” “account blocks,” and “demands to pay an alleged debt or tax.” Phishing SMS messages and online notifications about gifts and parcels are also widely distributed.

Three Safety Rules

As director of products and tariffs for Rostelecom’s mass-market segment Andrey Demyanenko noted, holiday excitement should not override the “stop filter” – a critical assessment of any call or message related to money or gifts. Calls from unknown numbers should be ended after confirming you do not know the caller, while suspicious messages should be deleted without opening them.

Three simple rules can provide maximum protection – do not follow unfamiliar links, never share personal information, and use two-factor authentication everywhere possible. Users can also enable protection services from their telecom operator, which block suspicious calls before they ever reach the smartphone.