The Ministry of Internal Affairs has warned citizens about fraudulent messages promising “prizes” and “bonuses”

Fake messages promising “bonuses,” “lotteries,” and “prizes” have recently been circulating on social media, messaging apps, and via SMS, aimed at obtaining people’s bank card information.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs told Report that no bank, government agency, or official online platform ever requests a PIN, CVV, 16-digit card number, or one-time password sent via SMS.

“Providing such information to third parties may result in the theft of funds from your card account, regardless of the amount,” the ministry emphasized.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs recommends not clicking on suspicious links, verifying the authenticity of the website address, and not trusting messages such as “money transfer,” “your account is frozen,” or “your card is blocked.”

“If you encounter a similar situation, immediately report it to the 102 call center and to the bank,” the agency advises.

This post is also available in: Russian