After social benefit adjustments that took place in January and February, cases of online fraud targeting retirees and social welfare recipients have been more frequent. People began receiving offers online and in messenger apps to check the amount of their new increased payouts. In most cases, they are requested to use an app or a bot which turns out to be malicious and endangers their data.
Once you install them on your mobile device, your SNILS (personal insurance policy) number, bank card details, and other personal information can be stolen, giving criminals not only access to your money but also an ability to act on your behalf. Data can also stolen if you visit third-party pages or fill unverified forms. Such services do not provide any information about the benefit increase, as the relevant information is only available from the Gosuslugi Portal, as well as at customer offices of the Social Fund and multifunctional centers.
The Social Fund of Russia advises citizens against falling for scammers' tricks and refrain from using third-party services and apps. You can always get the most complete, trustworthy, and above all, safe information from the Gosuslugi Portal. They publish the amounts of your payouts and notifications received from agencies that assign them. No private services have access to that data and, therefore, cannot provide it.
You can also get verified information regarding adjustments and benefit amounts from the Social Fund website and through the unified call center for social issues. The center accepts calls at 8-800-10-000-01 from any Russian region, free of charge. Its operators will provide all the information you need and, if the caller is identified, will also offer advice involving personal data, including the amount of payouts due, with all the adjustments.
On an in-person visit to a local Social Fund office, its staff will also provide the most comprehensive advice and offer related services.
Be cautious of dubious offers on social networks and messaging apps to avoid becoming a victim of scams and losing money along with your personal data. In most cases, good deals offered by unknown services bring unpleasant long-term consequences for those who use unverified digital tools.
Please note that all Social Fund's services are free of charge, regardless of where you receive them from: customer offices, multifunctional centers the Gosuslugi Portal online.