The Kidnappers of the Celebration: what schemes can we expect from scammers before National Unity Day

Fraudsters before National Unity Day can use various schemes to deceive the inhabitants of the country, experts have warned about this. The schemes of the attackers can be associated with both profitable holiday vacation offers and various official payments, which are allegedly due by November 4. For more information about what schemes to expect from scammers before National Unity Day, how dangerous they are and how to protect yourself from them, read the Izvestia article.

What is the National Unity Day theme interesting for scammers?

National Unity Day, like any major public holiday, creates an almost ideal environment for intruders, says the CEO of Secure-T (Solar Group) in an interview with Izvestia Khariton Nikishin.

"Firstly, this is a moment of increased trust among people: messages that use patriotic rhetoric, symbols, or disguise themselves as official appeals from government agencies arouse less suspicion," the expert says. — People are emotionally involved in the holiday, and their vigilance is dulled.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Korotaev

Secondly, as Khariton Nikishin notes, the scale of the holiday, which covers the whole country, allows fraudsters to launch massive, almost conveyor schemes that work for a huge number of people at the same time. In addition, there is also emotional blackmail, especially in the field of charity. The theme of unity and helping others is being used to create fake foundations that play on the best feelings of fellow citizens.

In addition, the theme of National Unity Day is interesting to scammers because at this time people are actively planning trips, booking accommodation and buying tickets, as well as participating in online promotions, adds Maria Mikhailova, head of the Angara MTDR brand protection group. This surge in consumer and online activity creates ample opportunities for deception, allowing attackers to easily disguise their schemes as holiday deals and haste.

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What fraudulent schemes should we expect before November 4 in 2025

According to experts interviewed by Izvestia, before National Unity Day in 2025, fraudsters may try to use several tricks at once to deceive Russians. In particular, Maxim Alexandrov, an expert on Security Code software products, predicts that pseudo-charitable organizations may become more active before November 4, calling for donations for "patriotic needs" or "support for compatriots."

Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Korotaev

—Under the guise of charity, attackers gain access to the finances and personal data of victims," the expert says. — Another method of deception may be equally popular — mass mailing of notifications about "special government payments" for the holiday, when confidential information is stolen under the pretext of financial assistance.

At the same time, phishing mailings about "blocking tickets" for festive events, designed to lure out payment details, will pose an additional danger, Maxim Alexandrov notes. On the eve of the holiday, the risk of encountering phishing sites imitating online booking services for air and train tickets, resorts or hotels is increasing, adds the data analyst of the Coordination Center for domains .RU/.Russian Federation Evgeny Pankov.

Fraudsters can also create fake websites of travel agencies, restaurants or cinemas offering "profitable holiday promotions" — cheap tours, tickets to warm countries or discounts on entertainment. As a rule, such offers look very attractive, but in the end users lose both money and the opportunity to relax.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Anna Selina

— Before November 4, there may be an active spread of fraudulent duplicate websites offering tours around the country or flights for holidays at low prices and exploiting the excessive demand for domestic tourism on weekends, - agrees Konstantin Larin, head of the cyber intelligence department at Bastion.

What schemes of scammers on the theme of National Unity Day have you encountered before

Fraudsters have used various deception schemes before National Unity Day in previous years. In particular, according to Ekaterina Edemskaya, an analytical engineer at Gazinformservice, there have been previous cases of fake websites being created that mimic government service portals or official administration resources, where users were asked to "register to participate in festive events."

— Fake charity collections "in honor of National Unity Day" were distributed on social networks to help veterans, affected regions or cultural projects, with a request to transfer money to private accounts, — says the interlocutor of Izvestia. — All attacks were based on trust in state symbols and the patriotic context.

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In turn, Maria Mikhailova notes that earlier, before November 4, three fraudulent schemes were especially widespread. The first is calls allegedly from employees of the Social Fund of Russia. The attackers, posing as employees of the foundation, informed the elderly about the additional payments they received in honor of the holiday. As a result, they lured the victims out of SMS codes to "Public Services" and banking services.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Yulia Mayorova

The second scheme operated on social networks and messengers. The scammers sent messages about social benefits for women on maternity leave, timed to coincide with the holiday. The recipients were asked to follow a phishing link and enter their bank card details. The third was related to sending out offers about burning tours. The victims were also redirected to a phishing site where they had to make a payment.

— "Congratulatory" email newsletters with malicious attachments have already become classics - for example, an alleged announcement of a festive city event, while the file in such an email contains a virus, — says Khariton Nikishin. — Another common story is fake contests and sweepstakes where you are "congratulated" on winning a car or a large sum of money. To receive the prize, you are asked to pay for "shipping" or "tax".

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How to protect yourself from fraud schemes by November 4th

Fraud schemes before National Unity Day are aimed at a wide audience — from elderly people who trustfully perceive officialdom and state symbols, to young people who actively participate in online sweepstakes and actions, Ekaterina Edemskaya says in an interview with Izvestia. At the same time, those who are accustomed to responding quickly to "urgent" offers without verifying their authenticity, as well as users who are not familiar with the basics of cyber hygiene, are particularly vulnerable.

"The danger of such schemes lies not only in direct financial damage — theft of funds from bank cards or electronic wallets — but also in the compromise of personal data, which can later be used for more complex attacks: obtaining loans, registering on fraudulent services or targeted phishing," says the specialist.

In addition, according to Ekaterina Edemskaya, getting on a malicious website can lead to infection of the device with spyware or extortion software, which endangers not only personal but also corporate information if the device is used for work purposes.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Sergey Konkov

In order to protect yourself from such threats, it is important to remember that no real official letter or SMS will contain a link where you will be asked to immediately go and enter your confidential data, says Khariton Nikishin. If you receive such a message, do not click on the link. Open your bank's app or account and check the information there.

— As for charity, transfer money only through trusted, well—known funds that are on the register of the Ministry of Justice, — the specialist advises. — Ignore the "too-great" vacation deals and don't believe in unexpected winnings. From technical means, be sure to install an antivirus on all devices and enable two—factor authentication for banking applications and mail.

Finally, remember: your passport data, SMS codes, and CVC codes from your card are strictly personal data. No one ever has the right to request them from you by phone or in a chat. Share this knowledge with your family, especially with the older generation, in order to protect them, the expert concludes.