A new type of fraud is gaining popularity in Russia: attackers are actively using Google Meet to communicate with potential victims.
As explained by the Department for Combating Illegal Use of ICT of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, the choice of this service is due to several factors. Firstly, the application is widely distributed and pre-installed on most Android smartphones, which saves users from having to install unfamiliar programs. Secondly, it is extremely difficult to obtain operational data from Google for an investigation, which makes the scheme safer for fraudsters. In addition, restrictions on calls via foreign instant messengers forced scammers to look for alternative communication channels.
“After the restrictions on the main communication channel, the fraudsters did not stop, but began to look for new ways. Their infrastructure cannot be idle, so they quickly adapt,” the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.
In addition to Google Meet, the police have noted a significant increase in calls from international numbers via regular mobile communications – by 83% recently. Cases of using FaceTime and the Max messenger are also recorded, but Google Meet has become the main tool for criminal call centers.
Fraudsters pose as employees of banks or government agencies, using Google Meet to create an impression of officialdom. They rely on pre-collected databases and practiced conversation scenarios.
