In 2024, Yandex’s automatic caller ID logged roughly 1.5 billion calls from numbers that appeared unfamiliar to users. Of these, about 800 million were unsolicited attempts, including scams, reflecting a year-over-year rise of around 16 percent from 2023 and making up 56 percent of all calls routed through the service. The system helped people steer clear of more than 55 million unwanted calls, a figure that underscores how pervasive nuisance calls remain and how much digital communication safety depends on smarter screening tools. The data highlights a pattern: a substantial share of unknown calls are not simply random noise but intentional outreach with potential financial or security consequences. For residents and consumers across large regions, this trend translates into a heightened awareness of caller identity and the importance of verifying requests before sharing sensitive information. In 2024, the caller ID capability acted as a firewall of sorts, reducing exposure to intrusive contact and minimizing the disruption caused by non-consensual outreach across the telecom landscape.
Among the categories that saw the strongest growth were calls purporting to come from banks or from fraudsters posing as bank employees, which rose by about 25 percent. Requests tied to insurance services grew around 21 percent, while calls referring to surveys increased roughly 17.5 percent. These shifts suggest that scammers continuously experiment with framing to lure victims, and legitimate businesses should be aware that financial‑services themes now represent a dominant lure in unsolicited outreach. Consumers were more likely to encounter messages that piggyback on credible institutions, exploiting the trust people place in banks and insurers. The rise of such schemes coincides with broader fraud patterns seen in many markets, where criminals rely on familiar brands to lower skepticism and prompt quicker responses. Authorities and security researchers have long warned about the sophistication of such impersonation attempts, and 2024 data from the call ID service confirms that criminals are intensifying that approach.
One of the most common fraud narratives involved a supposed need to extend a contract. In these cases, scammers posing as telecom operators claim that a renewal is required and then press for a verification code sent by SMS. This particular technique accounted for roughly 44 percent of the fake calls detected in the dataset, making it the most frequent pretext observed. The second frequent strategy is a two‑stage approach: the initial call is clearly fraudulent, followed by a second call from a pretend bank representative offering to secure accounts. This pattern made up about 20 percent of cases. A third tactic involved promises to boost payments or recalculate pensions or benefits, often invoking a supposed loss of experience to justify the change, which appeared in about 16 percent of instances. The fourth category included messages about blocking an account in the State Services or a bank due to suspicious activity, representing about 11 percent. A fifth recurring theme was a message about a registered letter that requires a code delivered by SMS, composing around 5 percent of the top five tricks. Together, these scenarios illustrate how scammers blend familiar institutional cues with time-sensitive urgencies to trap victims.
Beyond voice calls, more than two million reports of spam in instant messaging apps indicated that roughly 5 percent originated from banks and law enforcement related sources. This finding highlights the cross‑channel nature of modern fraud, where scammers try to extend their reach from voice to text and chat platforms. While these apps are designed for quick communication, users must treat unexpected prompts for codes or payment changes with heightened scrutiny. The data points to a strategic convergence: perpetrators use the same pretexts across channels, reinforcing the need for consistent verification practices regardless of the medium. Network operators and platform providers can use these insights to craft warnings and protect users, while individuals should pause and verify requests through trusted channels before taking action. The end result is a more resilient communication environment where manipulation attempts are less likely to succeed because people are more cautious about dubious requests.
The regional picture in 2024 showed pronounced variation. The Penza region saw the sharpest uptick in calls from unknown numbers, rising by about 86 percent, while the Primorsky Territory grew around 22 percent and the Rostov region about 20 percent. In contrast, certain areas reported significant declines: the Chechen Republic fell by roughly 80 percent, North Ossetia dropped about half, and the Trans‑Baikal Territory also saw a notable decrease. These shifts may reflect differences in local marketing, telecom practices, and the deployment of caller ID screening across networks. They underscore the importance of regional awareness when assessing the risk of unknown calls and tailor countermeasures to each area’s pattern of outreach. For policymakers, service providers, and consumers, the variability emphasizes that no single strategy fits all regions, and adaptive, region‑specific protections are essential to curb fraud.
Security professionals also highlighted risks tied to messaging platforms. In some cases, discussions about account access or verification on services such as Telegram were flagged as potential entry points for hacks, reminding users that protection of credentials is as important as screening calls. As digital communication ecosystems grow more interconnected, staying vigilant against social engineering remains a top priority for individuals and organizations alike.