Victimological Phenomenon of Fraud Using Digital Technologies of Social Engineering

Introduction. In 2025, cybercriminals stole 55 billion rubles from Russian citizens, with approximately half of this amount obtained using social engineering. Criminals intensify their activities during periods of economic crises and emergencies, when the population experiences heightened anxiety and is susceptible to manipulation. Despite the availability of high-tech information security systems, cybercriminals prefer to use social engineering to gain access to banking data. These methods rely on psychological manipulation aimed at coercing individuals into voluntarily revealing confidential information, such as logins, passwords, bank card numbers, and account numbers. The obtained information is then used to conduct financial transactions without the account holder's knowledge, resulting in significant financial losses.