Published on: 2026-08-28
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Project experts “Call me back yourself” reminded about fraudulent schemes that scammers use before September 1st. Their targets are families preparing children for school. Scammers pose as employees of educational institutions, members of parent committees, or government agency workers to steal personal data and money. To avoid falling for their tricks, it is necessary to know a few simple rules.
“The closer it gets to September 1, the more often we observe surges in activity from fraudsters who deliberately target parents and students. Their main weapon is emotions: fear for the child, the desire to prepare for school in time, and the urge to save money. A new trick involving urgent inclusion in student lists is especially alarming. No school employee or government official will ever ask for a code from an SMS or a password for a personal account over the phone. This is a clear sign of fraud,” said Valentina Shilina, project manager of “Call Back Yourself” in the capital
She reminded that one should end a phone conversation if the interlocutor asks to name the code from an SMS, and also urged not to follow suspicious links. A true specialist will always wait until the person verifies the information and will never rush.
“Also, be extremely careful when shopping online for school supplies. A price that is too low is almost always a sign of fraud. It’s better to spend a little more time and choose a trusted online store than to fall victim to a fake website and lose money,” added Valentina Shilina.
Specialists from the “Call Back Yourself” project have identified several key schemes used by fraudsters. One of the most dangerous tricks is calls allegedly from school staff. Scammers claim that there were problems adding the child to the database, and to keep their place on the student list, it is necessary to dictate the confirmation code from an SMS. After learning the code, they can gain access to parents’ accounts on official resources, internet banks, and other important services. This, in turn, can lead to personal data leaks, loss of control over accounts, and financial losses. It should be remembered that official organizations, including schools and government agencies, never request passwords or SMS codes over the phone.
Another common scheme is fake messages about government payments. Scammers send messages via messengers and SMS with information about non-existent one-time payments. For example, about 15,000 rubles for preparing a child for school. The message contains a link to a phishing site, which is almost indistinguishable from official resources. There, parents are offered to apply for the payment by entering their login, password, and SMS code, after which the fraudsters can gain access to the personal account on the real official site.
The scheme involving penetrating parent chats in messengers or creating fake copies of them remains relevant. Malefactors, posing as the class teacher or a member of the parent committee, under pressure (“urgent”, “everyone has already paid”), ask to transfer money for gifts to teachers, meals, or other needs. Links in such messages lead to pages for data theft or fraudulent accounts for payment.
Fake online stores deserve special attention. In an effort to save money, parents may fall victim to fake sites that offer school uniforms, stationery, backpacks, and electronics at suspiciously low prices. Such websites post advertisements with photos of well-known brand products and use psychological pressure tactics (“discount only today”, “last sets”) to prompt quick payment. After the money is transferred, the buyer does not receive the goods, and their payment data may be stolen.
Schoolchildren can also become victims of scammers. They receive links to phishing sites disguised as school chats, contests, ready-made homework, or offers of free subscriptions. In addition, they are persuaded to install malicious applications that steal data from devices. More details on how to protect a child from cyber scammers can be found in material project “Call me back yourself.”
To protect yourself and your children, experts advise following simple but important rules. First of all, never share SMS codes, passwords, or bank card details with anyone. It is important to remember that schools and government agencies do not request this information over the phone.
Secondly, it is necessary to use Russian security certificates, to always have stable and secure access to important websites. They provide a protected connection between the user and the site, helping to secure personal data, and also allow distinguishing a genuine resource from a phishing one.
Moreover, it is always necessary to double-check financial requests. If a message about fundraising appears in the parent chat, it is better to contact the class teacher or a familiar parent through a personally verified number. Information about benefits and payments is best checked exclusively on official resources.
Do not click on suspicious links in messages and emails from unknown senders, even if they are forwarded from acquaintances, as their accounts may have been hacked. School supplies should only be purchased from reputable websites and major online stores.
Separately, the experts from “Call Back Yourself” recommend that you definitely talk to children about the danger of clicking on links from strangers on the internet and installing applications from unverified sources.
Information online project “Call me back yourself” created in 2022 by the Moscow Government together with the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation for the city of Moscow. It helps the residents of the capital protect themselves and their loved ones from telephone and internet fraud. The project website contains information about upcoming in-person and online events, memos and expert recommendations are available, recordings already past webinars and other useful materials. For users’ convenience, lecture recordings can be watched on the project’s website as well as on the social network page «VKontakte» and on Rutube channel.
The main components of the “Call Back Yourself” project are simple and clear expert advice, relevant stories, and a convenient format. The events analyze real cases of victims, highlight the techniques of fraudsters, and also explain how to behave correctly in such situations.
The creation and maintenance of information security tools, as well as combating cyber fraud, correspond to the objectives of the national project “Data Economy and Digital Transformation of the State”. More details about Russia’s national projects and the capital’s contribution can be found at special page.
The mos.ru portal is the core of the capital’s digital ecosystem. Today, it hosts more than 460 services and utilities that help solve practically any issue online. In a convenient digital format, you can pay bills, check your child’s grades and schedule at school, submit meter readings, book a pet appointment with a veterinarian, buy tickets for plays and concerts, and much more. To have reliable access to important digital services, experts recommend using the “Yandex Browser” or installing it on your device. certificates of the Russian Ministry of Digital Development.
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Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.