A call "from the bank"
The caller claims to work for the bank or its security department, talks about a suspicious transaction and rushes you. The rule is simple: hang up and dial the number on the back of the bank card yourself.
Safety
Safety
Scammers count on haste, politeness and trust in a confident voice. That's why the best protection for older relatives isn't complicated software but a few simple rules you agreed on calmly and in advance. The most important one goes like this: no decisions during the call; first pause, then check through the official number.
Hanging up on a stranger isn't rude. It's the smartest habit a family can have.
How this section works: we describe typical tactics in general terms, without retelling real stories and without scare tactics. It is not a substitute for the official safety guidance from your bank and phone carrier.
Risks
Tactics worth telling your relatives about ahead of time, not in the middle of a call.
A message about a "payment" or a "gift"
Good news arrives about a payout, a refund or a prize, and to get it you need to follow a link or share your details. Real payments don't require any rush, and you never need to share a code to receive one.
Checking a call (in Russian)
A request to install an app "for a check"
Under the pretext of protection or a security check, they ask you to install a program that gives a stranger access to the phone. Never install anything at the request of someone you don't know.
Links in messages
A fake link looks almost like the real thing and leads to a page that looks like a bank or store website. Agree not to open links from unexpected messages and to open the bank's app the usual way instead.
A request for a code
A code from a text message is your signature on a transaction. A real bank employee will never ask you to read out a code from a message, no matter who the caller says they are or what they promise.
A "relative in trouble" from an unknown number
Someone calls or texts from an unfamiliar number, claims to be a close family member and urgently asks for money. Ask for the family code word and call your relative back on the number you know.
What to do if a code has already been shared
Don't waste time on embarrassment or blame; speed matters now. Contact the bank right away: dial the number printed on the back of the card or use the bank's official app, explain what happened, and ask them to block the card and review recent transactions.
Next, change any passwords strangers might have learned, and check whether an unfamiliar app has been installed on the phone. If access to an account has already been lost, recover it through official channels, not through "helpers" who call on their own.
And be sure to tell your relative they did the right thing by telling you. Then next time they'll call right away instead of hiding what happened until the last minute.
Related reading
- Checking a call (in Russian)
Archived page: a short guide to calls promising payouts — how to check before you respond, and how to agree on a plan with family in advance.
- Problems
No sound, text too small, a missing icon, a forgotten password, a video call that won't connect — and what to do when a parent calls in a panic.
- Glossary
Plain-language glossary: accessibility features, home screen, notification, backup, verification code, screen sharing, fake link.
- Guides
Practical how-tos: larger text and a simple home screen, quick-dial for family, video calls, photos and passwords. Plus our article catalog.
- Questions
Answers about this reference, about phones and service for an older person, and about protecting your family from phone scams without extra worry.
Sources
- Accessibility help pages from phone manufacturers (in general terms)
- Bank safety tips for customers (in general terms)
- Urai86 editorial materials
We write in general terms, based on our editorial understanding of the topic as of the date this page was prepared. Phone and tablet menus change from one version to the next, so look for the exact setting names on your own device, and for anything about an account or card, call your bank at its official number.