Fake online stores offering discounted school supplies and gadgets are targeting parents in Russia ahead of the start of the academic year, IT expert Sergey Scherbakov has warned.
Scherbakov, technical director at cybersecurity company Stakhanovets, told news outlet Lenta.ru that scammers are counting on tired parents who are looking to save time and money while shopping for the back-to-school season, leading them to lose their vigilance.
According to Scherbakov, shoppers should maintain a healthy skepticism toward overly attractive online offers. He explained that if a branded school backpack is listed at one-third of its normal price elsewhere, it is a red flag rather than good luck. Fraudsters deliberately drop prices to trigger an emotional reaction and force buyers to order quickly before stock runs out, employing a classic pressure tactic built on artificial scarcity and urgency.
Legitimate online retailers offer multiple payment methods, including bank card payments via secure payment gateways, payment on delivery, and e-wallets, Scherbakov noted. He warned that if a website insists exclusively on transferring money to a private individual's bank card, paying via phone number through the Faster Payments System (SBP) to a stranger, or transferring funds outside the site's official payment form, it is an almost guaranteed sign of fraud.
Red flags of fraudulent shopping sites
Genuine online stores always display corporate details for a registered legal entity or individual entrepreneur, a physical address, a customer support phone number, a public offer agreement, and a personal data processing policy, Scherbakov explained. In contrast, scam websites are typically assembled in a hurry specifically for a short-term campaign.
Common indicators of a fake storefront include an abundance of grammatical errors, inconsistent product card styling, low-quality images, and broken hyperlinks in the website footer, according to Scherbakov.
Scherbakov emphasized that buyers should check domain lifespans and consider how they arrived at a store. If a website link came from a social media advertisement, an unfamiliar blogger, or an SMS message or instant messaging app promising huge discounts, consumers should inspect the store independently before placing an order.
How fake payment gateways steal funds
To distinguish an authentic store website from a fake copy, shoppers must examine the web address. Scammers frequently use domain names that mimic well-known store brands with subtle differences, such as substituted letters, extra characters, or alternative domain extensions likeshop,site, oronline instead ofru. Scherbakov recommended checking domain age and looking up reviews on independent platforms, digital maps, and specialized public groups focused on fraud prevention.
The main objective of scammers operating fake store websites is to force victims to enter their bank card details and a one-time confirmation code from an SMS or push notification, Scherbakov explained. This process converts data theft into a bank-confirmed money transfer. Fake payment forms mirror the interface of real payment gateways, prompting users for an SMS code under the pretext of confirming a purchase when the bank code actually authorizes a transfer initiated by fraudsters.
Scherbakov added that scammers create artificial urgency using countdown timers, limited stock notices, and pop-up notifications about other buyers, pressuring shoppers emotionally and leaving no time for verification. He stressed that banks and legitimate retailers never request full card details or SMS confirmation codes over the phone, in chat messages, or through web forms unrelated to the official checkout process.
Related phone number scam warnings
The warning follows a separate report from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (MVD) regarding another cybercrime tactic targeting young adults. Russian police reported that fraudsters have begun approaching 18-year-old citizens with offers to re-register their mobile phone numbers.
Stakhanovets is a Russian IT firm that develops employee monitoring and data security software. The Faster Payments System, known as SBP, is an instant money transfer service operated by the Central Bank of Russia that allows transfers using mobile phone numbers. The Ministry of Internal Affairs, abbreviated as MVD, is Russia's primary federal law enforcement agency responsible for police operations and criminal investigations across the country.
