The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) has issued a warning about a new fraudulent scheme involving photoshoots.
According to the department, scammers are contacting models on social networks, posing as aspiring photographers. They offer an affordable photoshoot, claiming that the models only need to pay for the studio rental. Subsequently, they send a link to a “verified photo studio” and provide options to select a convenient time for the session. The models are also asked to pay for stylist services and props to be used during the shoot.
The fraudsters send a payment link to the models. Victims are directed to a page where they enter their card details and a one-time SMS code received on their phone. After this information is provided, the criminals steal the money.
The MVD urges citizens to remain vigilant. People should avoid negotiations with unknown individuals and be skeptical of “very favorable terms” of any deal.
Previously, Russians were also warned about phishing sites increasingly being used to hack accounts on the “Gosuslugi” (State Services) portal. Under various pretexts, scammers ask users to log in to the platform, providing a link to a fake website. Once login information is entered, the fraudsters gain access to the user’s account on Gosuslugi.
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