The FBI/IC3 Public Service Announcement warns that Russian intelligence services are targeting accounts on commercial messaging applications. The PSA describes tactics consistent with phishing and account takeover, including methods involving linked devices.

The FBI/IC3 Public Service Announcement warns that Russian intelligence services have been targeting accounts on commercial messaging applications. The alert emphasizes account-compromise risk and describes phishing activity designed to obtain access to legitimate user accounts, rather than creating purely novel malware. A key point in the PSA is that attackers may leverage mechanisms that involve linked devices—an approach that can help adversaries maintain or expand access once a user’s primary account is compromised. If an attacker can take control, they may use the messaging account to impersonate the victim, send fraudulent instructions to contacts, or stage further scams. For U.S. users, this is actionable because messaging apps are central to daily communications, and compromise can quickly spread harm. The threat model described in the PSA aligns with common “identity takeover” patterns: trick the user into providing credentials or approve access prompts, then use the compromised account to send convincing messages that appear to come from someone the victim knows. While the alert is framed as an intelligence-related campaign, the defensive relevance is broad: users should be cautious with unexpected login prompts, phishing links, and credential-harvesting messages. Enabling account protections where available and monitoring for unusual access are practical steps to reduce risk. Overall, the PSA provides a concrete, safety-focused reminder that account security for commercial messaging apps is a critical front in modern scam ecosystems.