Phone scammers targeting minors in Russia prefer direct voice calls over messaging applications, according to a joint study published by cybersecurity company Positive Technologies and telecommunications operator MTS.
The research, which was made available to news outlet Lenta.ru, revealed that five specific phone deception scenarios cover almost two-thirds of all identified scam attempts aimed at children. Impersonating mobile operator employees is the most frequent tactic at 17.9 percent, followed by callers posing as government agency officials at 15.5 percent.
Other primary schemes include offers of investments and extra income at 12.5 percent, fake contacts from postal services and online marketplaces at 12.2 percent, and individuals pretending to represent medical institutions at 9 percent.
Target demographics and call timing
Children between the ages of 11 and 14 form the most targeted group, receiving 42.5 percent of all recorded scam calls. Teenagers between 15 and 17 years old represent the second largest demographic at 36.8 percent.
Fraudsters contact young targets most frequently during weekdays, with call volume peaking on Tuesdays between 10:00 and 12:00.
Positive Technologies, a cybersecurity firm, and MTS, one of Russia's primary telecommunications networks, analyzed call pattern data across the country to track how fraudsters reach younger age groups.
Manipulation tactics and call volumes
The study identified gaming schemes as the main technique used to manipulate children, accounting for 36.4 percent of attacks. In these cases, fraudsters offer free virtual currency or rare in-game items to convince minors to reveal payment card details belonging to adults. Another 27.3 percent of attacks rely on convincing a child to save their parents from danger.
In 18.2 percent of cases, scammers play on the child's desire to save themselves, while 7.6 percent of calls involve offers to earn money through illegal means.
Between January and June 2026, users under 18 received approximately 92.6 million unwanted phone calls. This represents a 35 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2025, when 141.6 million calls were registered.
Expert safety recommendations
Irina Zinovkina, head of analytical research at Positive Technologies, stated that parents should not focus on teaching children every potential scam scheme. Instead, she advised explaining universal safety rules, including never sharing SMS codes, passwords, or bank card details with strangers, and keeping family information private.
Zinovkina added that children should end any call immediately if the speaker tries to rush them, intimidate them, or requests that the conversation be kept secret from parents.
Ahead of the new school year, parents were also advised to consider purchasing basic mobile phones or traditional push-button handsets for school children rather than smartphones.
