The head of the CyberMoscow project, Grigory Pashchenko, explained how crooks can seize control of a victim’s digital keys by exploiting seemingly harmless images. He warned that photos you share about everyday life can become a vulnerability, a doorway scammers use to tailor highly convincing fraud schemes.
According to Pashchenko, seemingly innocent pictures can serve as powerful clues for criminals. When a person posts a photo of a horse, a scammer might reach out with an offer to ride it at a tempting price, directing the user to a phishing site. A vacation shot from a cafe or restaurant could trigger a fake promotion offering half price on a loyalty card, steering the user toward a fraudulent portal. Vacation slides and casual snapshots turn into magnets for misdirection, drawing attention away from the obvious that a message looks too good to be true.
Another risk is sharing documents online. A passport photo or an airline ticket image can reveal travel plans and destinations, which scammers can leverage to craft believable fraud scenarios. Posting a driver’s license image presents a similar danger, potentially exposing sensitive personal data that can be misused. The expert stresses that even small details can be weaponized in sophisticated social engineering attacks.
Pashchenko also cautioned against publishing photographs involving children. Images can be misused to sign up on various platforms or to request money under false pretenses, exploiting concerns about a child’s welfare. The message is clear: once media posts leave private circles, they become part of a wider, riskier conversation that predators can monitor and exploit.
To reduce exposure to scammers, the expert recommends tightening social media settings and restricting visibility to trusted friends only. Closing profiles or moving them to private status is presented as a solid first line of defense. The goal is to minimize the amount of personal data available to unknown viewers and to reduce the chances of targeted fraud based on lifestyle, routines, or travel plans. The emphasis is on practical controls rather than extreme measures, enabling safer sharing without completely isolating oneself from digital life.