Russia’s Interior Ministry Warns of Fake Employer ‘Loyalty Checks’ in Job Scams

Overview

• Officials said fraudsters pose as employers or security staff during recruitment and instruct applicants to share their screens.
• Under pretexts such as a loyalty check or verifying no ties to competitors, victims are told to show personal chats, privacy settings, active sessions, and their location on a map.
• The ministry reported that the staged procedure gives criminals access to correspondence, account data, geolocation, and authorization codes.
• The warning was issued on December 16 and reported by RIA Novosti, and it details the tactics without announcing enforcement actions or arrests.
• In a separate notice the ministry also cautioned citizens against taking part in phone scammers’ so‑called “special operations.”