Skip to content
Skills-training — Technology — Learning — Cybersecurity — career-development — personal-growth

Summer vacation fraud predictions rise among cyber experts

Annual surge in impersonations of school representatives observed.

,   and  Administrator
3 min read
Year starts off with an increase in impersonations of school officials.
Year starts off with an increase in impersonations of school officials.

Summer vacation fraud predictions rise among cyber experts

Modern Digital Landscapes Pose Risks for Students:

In today's digital age, students are becoming prime targets for cybercriminals. With increased free time and technology use, they're being enticed by deceitful mobile games, social networks, and schemes disguised as school-related activities. To provide parents with strategies to safeguard their children, experts from MegaFon, "Kaspersky Lab," and RuStore have analyzed trends and offered recommendations.

According to MegaFon analysts, since the beginning of the year, cybercriminals have been impersonating school officials like vice-principals and social educators, tricking students with various schemes. Some cases involve registering on specific resources, providing SMS codes for school diary activation, or disclosing parental personal data. In the first five months of 2025 alone, there's been a 30% increase in such incidents compared to the whole of the previous year. During the exam period, scammers target graduates, offering early access to exam answers or EGE results.

Sergei Khrenov, Director of the Department for Loss Prevention at MegaFon, states, "We've noticed a rise in fraudulent activities targeting children since the start of the year, with many criminals communicating through social networks and messengers. One of the latest scams involves recruiting minors to participate in criminal activities by offering to rent out their messenger and social media accounts for money."

In addition to social engineering tactics, cybercriminals infiltrate devices through apps designed for children. According to RuStore data, the number of downloads of children's apps and games has tripled over the past year, with the number of published projects in this category doubling. The rise in popularity has also led to an increase in dangerous counterfeits targeting young audiences, spreading malicious links or software to steal personal and payment data.

Dmitry Morov, Director of Information Security at RuStore, advises, "Children should only download games from trusted app stores. Fraudsters often disguise malicious files as popular games, so make sure your children are cautious when installing new apps."

"Kaspersky Lab" reports an increase in attacks on Russian users' Android devices, with a 60% increase in the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. These attacks often conceal malware as popular children's games like Minecraft, Roblox, Brawl Stars, and Genshin Impact. Meanwhile, the number of attacks where cybercriminals pose as cheats has nearly tripled. Some modified versions of the mobile banking Trojan Mamont are also being distributed under the guise of games. Attackers even embed malicious software in mods for popular games like Necro loader for Android.

Dmitry Kalinin, a cybersecurity expert at "Kaspersky Lab," recommends, "Avoid installing apps from unofficial, unmoderated sources and be cautious of apps asking for unnecessary access to personal data. Security patches and antivirus software can help minimize the risk of infection."

Empowering Parents and Children:

Protecting children from digital threats requires parental involvement, technical safeguards, and education. Here are some strategies to keep children safe:

  1. Engage in open conversations with your children about digital risks and how to identify suspicious content.
  2. Set clear rules for app downloads, online interactions, and data sharing.
  3. Monitor your children's activities and use parental controls to block inappropriate content.
  4. Install antivirus software and set up two-factor authentication on social media and gaming platforms.
  5. Review app permissions when downloading new apps to avoid giving unnecessary access to personal data.
  6. Engage in educational programs like interactive tools and online safety courses to teach children about digital safety.

By combining these approaches, parents can significantly reduce the risk of children falling victim to digital threats. Regular monitoring and open communication are essential components of protecting children in the online world.

[1] Parental Controls: A Comprehensive Guide (https://www.consumerreports.org/parental-controls/)

[2] 10 Tips to Protect Your Children Online (https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/online-safety.html)

[3] How to Keep Children Safe Online (https://www.childnet.com/resources/keep-children-safe-online)

[4] Kaspersky's "Case 404" (https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/case404)

  1. To complement their understanding of cybersecurity, parents might consider data-and-cloud-computing courses for personal-growth and career-development, as this knowledge could aid in better protecting their children.
  2. In the realm of education-and-self-development, there are numerous learning resources available, including skills-training programs focused on technology and cybersecurity, which could equip parents with the necessary tools to safeguard their families online.
  3. Participating in cybersecurity forums and online communities could further empower parents by facilitating the exchange of ideas, strategies, and best practices for protecting children in the digital age.
  4. Embracing a lifelong learning approach can help parents continuously adapt and grow their skills to keep up with evolving threats and stay ahead of cybercriminals.

Read also:

    Related

    Latest