Artem Sheikin

Paper Mail Combined with Phishing: Russians Targeted by Fake FNS Tax Portal Copies

Russian scammers have started blending traditional postal mail with digital phishing to steal taxpayer credentials. Victims first receive official-looking paper letters from the Federal Tax Service demanding corrections to tax declarations or supporting expense documents. These letters are followed by emails directing users to a counterfeit version of the FNS personal account portal. The fake site captures login details, passwords, and other authentication data that can be reused for further identity theft and account takeovers. Senator Artem Sheikin highlighted the scheme, noting that the paper letter builds initial trust before the electronic follow-up appears legitimate. Users are advised to access tax information only by manually visiting the official FNS website or through the Gosuslugi platform without clicking any links. The attack relies primarily on psychological manipulation rather than technical sophistication.