Published on: 2026-09-10
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Cybercriminals often target older people for their manipulations. Grandparents do not always have enough experience working with digital devices, and they tend to trust authorities. For example, interlocutors who present themselves as employees of law enforcement agencies or the Bank of Russia. Expert advice from the capital’s project will help protect your loved ones from the actions of wrongdoers. “Call me back yourself”. They have prepared recommendations for configuring computers, tablets, and mobile phones for safe internet use.
“It is necessary to explain to close people what threats they may face on the internet and which actions should be prohibited. In particular, they must not open emails from unknown senders, click on links in them, or enter personal data and bank card details on websites. It is also important not to disclose SMS codes to anyone. To reduce the risk of grandparents encountering intruders online, technical device protection measures can also be used,” said Valentina Shilina, project manager of “Call Back Yourself” in the capital
Among the technical security tools that help protect computers and phones, antivirus software is primarily highlighted. These are special programs that prevent the leakage of passwords, bank details, personal correspondence, and other confidential information. They scan email attachments and monitor network traffic. Experts recommend installing antivirus software on all devices that have internet access.
In addition, it is necessary to check the settings of computers, tablets, and smartphones. Devices should have the restriction on installing applications from unknown sources enabled; otherwise, there is a risk of installing malicious software. It is also recommended to enable automatic operating system updates, as each new version provides a higher level of protection against attackers.
Together with grandma and grandpa, you need to come up with complex passwords for email and all accounts. You can use a password manager to store them or write this information down on paper and keep it in a secure place with restricted access. How to create strong passwords is explained in special instruction. In the settings of all devices, multi-factor authentication should also be enabled — login confirmation via SMS or fingerprint. In messengers, a password with two-factor authentication must be set.
It is recommended to block pop-up windows in the browser settings. This will prevent the appearance of banners with intrusive advertising or announcements that contain links to phishing resources. They are used by fraudsters to steal money and data.
If an elderly relative uses only a limited set of sites — government services, banks, social networks — you can configure a list of allowed resources in the browser or antivirus. Access to all others should be blocked. Russian security certificates are required for the stable operation of the selected sites. These are special digital documents that encrypt transmitted data and confirm that it is protected from interception.
To browse web pages, you can use the “Yandex Browser” (which supports Russian certificates by default) or install the Ministry of Digital Development of Russia’s certificates on your devices. Detailed instructions on how to do this, as well as links to download the certificates and the browser, are posted on the special page of the mos.ru portal.
On the smartphone, enable the spam call blocking function. This setting is available on some phone models. This service can also be activated through the mobile operator. Additionally, some banks offer protection against calls from scammers by providing applications to install on smartphones. These programs monitor incoming calls, highlight suspicious numbers that may be used by fraudsters, and warn of potential danger.
In banking applications, you can also enable several other settings that help protect funds. First and foremost, set daily limits on transfers and cash withdrawals. If fraudsters still manage to convince an elderly person to transfer money, any transaction exceeding the limit will be declined by the bank. Additionally, you can activate a service that requests confirmation of transfers from a trusted person: they will receive notifications of all account operations of the elderly relative. If a transaction seems suspicious, they will be able to decline the transfer.
Information online project “Call me back yourself” created in 2022 by the Moscow Government together with the Moscow Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. It helps 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, expert memos and recommendations are available, as well as recordings of past events webinars and other useful materials. For user convenience, lecture recordings can be watched on the project website, as well as on the social network page “VKontakte” and in Rutube channel.
The main components of the “Call Back Yourself” project are simple and clear expert advice, relevant stories, and a convenient format. At the events, real cases of victims are analyzed, attention is drawn to scammers’ tricks, and guidance is provided on how to behave correctly in such situations.
Support for the development and implementation of Russian IT solutions aligns with the objectives of the national project “Data Economy and Digital Transformation of the State” and the Moscow city regional project “Domestic Solutions.” More about Russia’s national projects and the capital’s contribution can be found at special page.
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Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.