Scammers pose as telecom operators to renew contracts — how to avoid fraud

Scammers have devised yet another way to obtain people«s data. They call, allegedly on behalf of a telecom operator, and say the contract must be renewed urgently, otherwise the phone number will be disconnected. Experts have explained how to avoid falling for the fraudsters» trap.

How the scheme works

The call typically comes from a phone number that does not match the operator«s official contact center. Then, the problem is carefully introduced into the conversation. The subscriber is told that the contract term is allegedly ending, terms are changing, and without confirmation the number may be disconnected.

They often specifically emphasize that this number is linked to banking SMS, messengers, Gosuslugi (the Russian government services portal), and that losing access could cause significant inconvenience.

«This creates a background of mild anxiety: the person is no longer thinking about how strange the call is, but about how not to be left without service. Then comes the urgency. The caller emphasizes that everything must be arranged »right now, while you«re on the line,» otherwise the system will supposedly automatically initiate a block or transfer to another tariff,« explains Boris Lopatin, a senior expert on fraud investigation at MegaFon.

They use phrases like: «The number is already queued for disconnection,» or «After midnight, it will be difficult to restore it.» In reality, the subscriber always has time to double-check the information.

The expert notes that if, in response to the phrase: «I»ll call back myself to the support number listed on your website,« the person on the line begins to persuade you to stay, explains that you won»t have time to save your number through the general line, and persistently asks you not to hang up, that is a reason to be wary. A real operator«s employee would not be afraid of the user calling the official number themselves to clarify details.

«The client is informed that their account was used for money transfers and financing terrorism. To prevent further transactions, loans, and transfers, they must strictly follow instructions: independently apply for loans and transfer the received money to a »safe« account,» explains Boris Lopatin, describing another fraudulent scheme.

It«s also worth paying attention to how they speak with the subscriber. Scammers often combine polite language with slight pressure: they state that »the responsibility will be on you,« hint that »in case of disconnection, it will be difficult to restore the number,« and may get irritated if clarifying questions are asked or if they are asked for time to think.

For a real operator, the main goal is for users to understand everything and feel at ease, not to pressure the subscriber into a specific action during a single call at any cost. As soon as the story about «renewing the contract» is accompanied by haste, prohibitions against double-checking information, and requests to provide SMS codes, it«s not about service but an attempt at deception.

What to do

«A good rule of thumb here is very simple and applies not only to telecoms but also to banks, marketplaces, and the Gosuslugi portal: if an incoming call demands an immediate decision from you and simultaneously asks for a one-time code or to confirm an action in an app, you can safely end the conversation,» warns Boris Lopatin.

Andrey Ivanov, head of the information security department at Novosibirsk State Technical University (NSTU NETI), emphasizes that any information provided over the phone must be double-checked. It«s better to rely on sources you actually control.

For example, you can open the operator«s app or your personal account on the website and check if there are any notifications about debts, blocks, or changes in terms. If your account and services are in order and there are no warnings, then the urgent story about an »expiring contract« existed only within that call. And, of course, you can call the operator yourself.

Andrey Ivanov is confident that nothing terrible will happen if a person responds to some «official» request a little later and answers it after verifying the information.

Earlier, we reported on another scam scheme — fraudsters offered Novosibirsk residents help with paying utility bills.