MAKHACHKALA, September 28 – RIA "Dagestan". Mobile operator MTS has released an analysis on how its "Defender" digital barrier against unwanted calls has been operating in Dagestan, revealing a significant shift in the tactics used by local fraudsters. While scammers previously lured Dagestan residents with fake investments and promises of quick money, their primary strategy has now shifted to telemarketing-style cold calls. Furthermore, scams involving individuals posing as bank officials have returned to the top of the fraud charts.
According to the data, calls masquerading as advertising and telemarketing made up 12% of all fraudulent incoming calls to the region last summer. Impersonating bank representatives came in second at 11%, while fake lawyers rounded out the top three with 10%. Notably, the once-dominant fake investment scam—which accounted for 29% of all fraud calls in the first half of the year—plummeted to fifth place over the summer, dropping to just 10%.
This evolution in scam tactics demonstrates that Dagestan residents remain firmly in the crosshairs of telephone fraudsters, who are constantly devising new schemes to bypass public vigilance. Over the summer alone, MTS blocked over 6 million spam and fraudulent calls for its subscribers in the region. This threat has driven locals to actively adopt digital call protection, placing Dagestan 10th nationwide in terms of new service subscriptions last summer.
"The profile of spam calls in Dagestan hasn't changed, however. Bank advertisements still lead the pack, followed by general promotional surveys and debt collection calls. Our digital shield doesn't just stop financial fraud; it also saves people from the annoyance of constant interruptions. Interestingly, August saw the highest volume of unwanted calls. Scammers specifically target this month because people are either on holiday or stressed with back-to-school preparations, making them more vulnerable and distracted" - Karema Izieva, Director of MTS branch across the Republic of Dagestan explained.