Phone scammers have honed a dangerous method to extend loans and microloans to Russians through Banki.ru, the country’s largest financial marketplace. This assessment comes from Diana Selekhina, an analyst at the Solar AURA center, which monitors external digital threats for the Solar group of companies, according to reports from TASS .
In the exposed data, scammers glean phone numbers and other pieces of personal information about potential victims. The attackers then reach out directly, claiming that a letter has been dispatched in the victim’s name to a bank or microfinance company. The fraudster suggests sending a letter to the victim’s home address and warns that the shipping number will be delivered by SMS, requesting that the recipient announce it. In reality, the victim receives a code that is required to confirm registration on the Banki.ru site .
Once the registration is completed in the financial marketplace on the victim’s behalf, the attacker maintains contact with banks and microfinance institutions using the victim’s identity. The scam proceeds to the stage where loans and microloans are officially registered, and the fraudsters redirect these funds into their own accounts, effectively stealing the money under the victim’s name .
Banki.ru has acknowledged the existence of this threat and stated that it places a high priority on customer information security. The company reiterated its appeal to Russians not to share SMS confirmation codes with anyone, stressing that those codes are for individual use only and must never be given to third parties .
There have also been warnings about scammers who may launch attacks via video calls. The evolving nature of these threats means the public should stay vigilant: never disclose codes, personal identifiers, or one-time passwords, even if the caller seems legitimate or claims to represent a trusted institution. Safe practice is to verify any unsolicited request through official channels, contact the bank or microfinance partner independently, andEnable two-factor authentication where available. These measures help reduce the risk of becoming a victim of synthetic identity fraud, where attackers impersonate a real person to access financial services .
Experts advise maintaining a strict boundary between personal data and financial access. If a suspicious call is received, end the conversation and reach out to the financial institution using a verified phone number or official website contact page. Do not rely on contact details provided during the suspected scam call. Report any suspicious activity promptly to the financial institution and, when appropriate, to consumer protection agencies. Public awareness and proactive security practices play a critical role in reducing the impact of these schemes and in preventing unauthorized access to loan accounts tied to one’s name .
Stories of this scam variant highlight the importance of digital hygiene: keep devices updated, use unique passwords, and monitor bank statements closely for unusual activity. If a loan appears in the victim’s name without consent, it should be treated as fraud and reported immediately. Financial platforms increasingly rely on real-time identity checks, anomaly detection, and user education to catch and deter fraud before funds are moved. Victims should document all communications, preserve messages, and provide any relevant transaction details to the authorities or the bank for investigation .
Overall, the trend underscores how crucial it is to verify any document or message that references a loan or a letter associated with financial institutions. Even a seemingly routine SMS code can be the key that unlocks access to a victim’s financial profile if shared with an unauthorized party. The ongoing collaboration between financial platforms and security teams aims to disrupt these fraud chains and to reinforce consumer confidence in digital markets across Russia and beyond, with lessons that resonate for users in Canada and the United States as well .