Published on: 2026-10-17
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Against the backdrop of the gradual mass rollout of the digital ruble, there has been a sharp increase in fraudulent calls and messaging app spam. Experts from the project “Call me back yourself” warn that scammers are actively using the new financial agenda to steal citizens’ savings, primarily targeting elderly people. Fraudsters pose as employees of the Bank of Russia, commercial banks, or official resources and claim there is an obligatory conversion of all cashless funds and the transfer of pensions into digital rubles.
“Scammers expertly adapt to any changes in legislation, and the introduction of the digital ruble was no exception. It is important to understand: the digital ruble is just another instrument of the financial system that does not change security rules. Any calls offering conversion come exclusively from scammers. Genuine bank employees never ask for SMS codes, never offer backup wallets, and certainly do not threaten loss of pension. Savings cannot be lost or forcibly converted into digital rubles. Scammers build their schemes on fear and ignorance, so the only protection is calm and information verification,” said Valentina Shilina, project leader of “Call Back Yourself” in the capital.
In the implementation of the first scheme, scammers mass-call citizens or send messages claiming that from September 1, 2026, all cashless rubles in accounts and deposits are subject to mandatory conversion into digital rubles. They use a deliberately false argument about an allegedly unfavorable exchange rate, and in case of inaction, they scare people by saying that savings will supposedly be lost or blocked. To save the money, scammers persuade victims to open a special digital wallet via an allegedly secure link. In reality, this link leads to a phishing website that copies the design and logos of the Bank of Russia or other large banks. When trying to enter card details or make a transfer to a fake transit reserve account, funds are instantly withdrawn to the scammers’ accounts.
The second scheme targets older residents of Moscow. The callers claim that pensions in the country are automatically converted to a new currency format, but the citizen has the right to refuse this option. To process the refusal, scammers demand that the person dictate the verification code from a recently received SMS message. The pensioner, thinking they are confirming their refusal, actually provides the criminals with the code for authorization in the mobile bank or confirmation of a funds withdrawal operation. This gives the criminals full access to the accounts and the ability to withdraw all funds.
Experts from the “Call Back Yourself” project remind that the digital ruble is a voluntary third form of the national currency alongside cash and non-cash funds, issued by the Bank of Russia. It does not replace or cancel the usual rubles, and the ratio is always strictly one to one. Forced conversion of citizens’ funds or their pensions is not provided by law and is technically impossible without the direct consent of the account holder.
The decision to open a digital ruble account (digital wallet) is made by the citizen themselves; it is not opened automatically. Additionally, no payments in digital rubles are transferred without the recipient’s consent.
To avoid falling victim to fraudsters, experts from the “Call Back Yourself” project recommend that Muscovites follow simple rules. If a citizen receives a call supposedly from a bank or the Central Bank with alarming news about their accounts, they should immediately end the conversation and call back the official bank number listed on the back of their card or on the organization’s official website. Nobody should share codes from SMS messages, CVC codes, passwords, or logins (bank employees never request these), nor should they follow links from suspicious messages in messengers, even if these are disguised as official notifications. Elderly relatives should be separately warned about new scam schemes and agree to consult with other family members before any financial actions initiated by phone.
Online information project “Call me back yourself” created in 2022 by the Government of Moscow in cooperation 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 phone 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 webinars and other useful materials. For user convenience, lecture recordings can be watched on the project’s website, as well as on the social network page “VKontakte” and in the channel in Rutube.
The main components of the “Call Back Yourself” project are simple and clear expert advice, relevant stories, and a convenient format. At events, they analyze real stories of victims, draw attention to the methods used by fraudsters, and also explain how to behave correctly in such a situation.
The creation and maintenance of information security tools, as well as countering 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.
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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.