Li Auto owners in Russia are facing cyberattacks that take control of their vehicles’ master accounts, according to a report by Autonews. The accounts act as digital keys for vehicle functions. After an account is compromised, screens and climate control may stop working, and some owners may be unable to start their cars. At least 20 people are known to have been affected, though the actual number could be higher.
The attackers reportedly contact owners and demand payment to restore account access. Current demands are 35,000–45,000 rubles, down from 200,000–250,000 rubles during an earlier wave of similar attacks in summer 2025. The latest scheme targets accounts with eSender, a service used by owners to obtain Chinese phone numbers when registering their Li Auto master accounts. Even users who paid to maintain their numbers have reportedly lost access.
Sinomach Auto, Li Auto’s official distributor in Russia, has confirmed the problem. It says the Chinese automaker and its Russian partner are working on account protection and ways to restore access for legitimate owners. Planned measures include proof-of-ownership checks and replacing Chinese phone-number authentication with email; the latter is already used on Li Auto’s 2026 model-year vehicles. The timing for these changes has not been specified. Owners are advised to update passwords, keep verification codes private and contact customer support if locked out.