A senior Russian attorney explained that fraudsters have adopted new tactics to steal using a counterfeit five thousand dollar bill. The agency notes the scheme began with a tactic described as Hit the primer, signaling a push to draw attention to the novel currency and its supposed validity.
The expert described how scammers pose as officials from the Central Bank and contact residents by phone to urge them to verify whether the new five thousand dollar notes are genuine. Those on the line are offered a mobile application intended to check cash authenticity. In reality, the app is a phishing tool that grants attackers access to the victim’s devices, enabling unauthorized transfers from the person’s bank account.
The same source warned that criminals may knock on doors while posing as social workers who claim they must replace old banknotes with new counterfeit versions. The goal is to create trust, gain access to households, and introduce the fraud as routine currency maintenance, all while concealing the true intent to steal funds.
A security expert from the Gem Space project, Vahe Zakarian, revealed that fraudsters and hackers are actively exploiting QR code payments to harvest users’ personal data. He noted that the growing use of quick payments has not alleviated risk; in some respects it mirrors weaknesses seen with traditional debit card transactions, creating opportunities for data breaches and unauthorized charges.
Earlier schemes also involved manipulation of SIM cards, where attackers attempted to gain control of mobile lines to intercept verification codes and authorize fraudulent transfers, underscoring a broader trend toward multi-vector fraud that targets the interface between digital payments and telecommunications networks.