It´s no secret that Russia is going through rough times.  From sanctions to lower oil prices, Putin has his job cut out for him.  Companies and investors in this region are facing serious challenges at convincing outsiders from doing business here.  The falling oil prices and the sanctions are affecting the economy, and this might be a cause of the rise in online crime in the past few months.  Some say 2015 will be a tumultuous year for Russia and there is a lot of uncertainty about Russia’s future.

Although it might seem there is not direct cause-effect relationship between the two, Russian investigators think there is. Why does an economy affect the incidence of internet crime? There are many reasons for the correlation, but the following are the most important.

Geopolitical Uncertainty

Not knowing what is really going on or the effects of a shrinking economy affects people on a psychological level. Online crime is often run by mafia rings, and these people are the masters of recruitment. Crisis and uncertainty work well to bring new people into the business, as the offer may sound like an opportunity to survive and be safe for many.  Not everyone who gets involved in the online crime business has necessarily been a criminal before. Some are just looking desperately for a way to pay debts, pay rent and survive. So when the forecast is that a deep crisis is on its way –whether it is true or not- people try to prepare, even though if that means moving to the dark side.  If you have no money for food or rent, and a profitable opportunity comes along to scam foreign individuals and foreign businesses, many in this desperate position consider the option.

Popularity and Trending Topics

Russia and its strong arm president Vladimir Putin are one of the favorite topics of many people all over the world. Everyone wants to know what will happen with this giant country. Everyone is curious about the future and the decisions these people are making.  Maybe this is just because it´s in the news everywhere, or because people want to be sure no world wars are being cooked up. But the truth is that being a hot topic makes it special to those who insert malware and links that redirect people to fake websites, allowing phishing and other types of fraud.   Any topic that is popular and trending, is a target for internet criminals because they know how to create links for your to click on.  Once you fall for the bait, chances are you can be a victim through malware, viruses or internet scam.

Hacking and Criminal Expertise

From the previous experiences in 2014 with data breaches in major retail company websites and government websites in the U.S., we know that Russians are expert hackers. They have the expertise to get the information they need, from wherever they need to.  Not only they are experts in the field, but they also know very well the weaknesses in the system, including those that embarrass us all like not taking the time to change a manufacturer password. With a shrinking economy it is likely that online fraudsters will try to generate more income out of foreigners. After all, there is a wide range of options they can choose from out of their experience: credit card and identity theft, the very popular Russian romance scams, fake company deals, blackmail and extortion, corporation hacking, etc.

What You Need to Know

Online fraud is a global issue, it comes from everywhere and happens everywhere, but there are certain countries that are high risk zones. Russia is one of them. If you are dealing with someone in Russia, either on a romantic level or a business level, verify the facts and get evidence. You might want to get professional help from private investigators in Moscow to make sure things are the way you think.  Background checks and due diligence in Russia are more important than ever.

Another important thing to consider is that learning how to use the internet in a safe way is crucial in today´s world. Protect your privacy, set your social networks to the highest privacy levels and do not share any personal information online. Never invest in anything without doing your homework.  If you don’t speak Russian and don’t have the opportunity to visit Moscow, you are flying blind.  Speak to a professional about verifying your investments or any claimed opportunities you see.  Anything that can be found online about yourself can be used against you, and if you come from a wealthy country like the U.S. chances are it will be used against you at some point.  Be safe.

C. Wright
© 2015 Russia PI™

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