VTB: "Neural network cheat sheets" and fake fees for the Unified State Exam - a new wave of fraud

      May 22, 2026 13:46 Society During the preparation period for the Unified State Exam (USE), VTB specialists are recording an increase in fraudulent schemes targeting both graduates and their parents. Malefactors actively exploit the stressful state and trust in new technologies, offering "guaranteed" ways to bypass the system or urgently solve "organizational" issues for money. In social networks and messengers, graduates are mass-sent offers to switch to "secret AI bots." Scammers promise that the bots will be able to solve exam tasks in real time, generate "perfect" essays, and even transmit answers through a hidden earpiece. Graduates face three main scenarios of deception: resale of information available in open sources, fictitious services that are blocked after payment, or device infections—malicious APK files or remote smartphone management programs are spread under the guise of "cheat sheets," leading to theft of funds. Malefactors also direct their attacks at parents. Fake accounts of "school representatives" or "USE organizers" appear in parent chats. They ask to transfer money for fictitious needs: special forms, printing passes, food during the exam. The mechanism of deception is always the same: after receiving the money, the fake organizers disappear, leaving parents without the possibility of recovering the funds. "Any exam is stressful in itself. In the run-up to the USE, the level of anxiety is at its maximum, and this is exactly what scammers take advantage of. The use of such devices and hints is a gross violation of the rules for taking the USE, leading to the annulment of results. The offers themselves are a classic fraudulent scheme aimed at stealing money. It is important to remember: all official procedures related to the conduct of the USE are free and regulated by law. There are no paid 'cheat sheets,' bots, or additional services on behalf of the school or the state," noted Dmitry Sarantsev, Deputy Head of the Security Department—Vice President of VTB. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+