Nizhny Novgorod residents were warned about a new scam involving "school psychologists".

      15 September 2025 12:43

      [144]

      Incidents

      VTB specialists have uncovered a new fraud scheme in which scammers pose as school psychologists. They send Russians links to fake government service websites, claiming that their child allegedly failed mandatory testing. The scenario ends with "remote inspections" and handing over money and valuables to a fake courier.

      During a call, the scammers offer to retake the test via a link that leads to a phishing site. This allows them to access personal data, and sometimes bank accounts. They then inform their "victims" of a data leak or the threat of criminal prosecution for actions supposedly committed on their behalf. The fraudsters intimidate both children and their parents, demanding that they turn on the video and arrange a "check" at home, collect valuables and cash to give to a courier.

      "Scammers have begun using more sophisticated methods, including psychological pressure. You should always remember that ordinary citizens will never receive calls from representatives of the Central Bank or financial monitoring authorities. It is necessary to treat any statements by unknown callers critically, act with a cool head, and better yet just hang up. These same safety rules are important to communicate to children. It is important that in any unclear situation they consult an adult before doing anything," said Dmitry Revyakin, Vice President of VTB, Head of the Corporate Interests Protection Department of the Security Department.

      In the summer, during entrance exams, scammers also posed as school psychologists and collected personal data and document details of adults and children for a "student profile." The purpose of such calls is to gain access to personal accounts on government portals or banks, or to use the obtained data in social engineering schemes (calls "from the bank" asking to "confirm an operation").

      You can check a link for phishing and report a scammer's number on the bank's website in the "Security" section of VTB Online or in chatbots in the VKontakte and MAX messengers. You can call the bank at 1000 — it is printed on every VTB bank card. Calls to clients from the bank using this number are also secure — scammers will not be able to call from it.

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