Is it true that the Social Fund or the tax service pays compensation for home internet?

Is it true that the Social Fund or the tax service pays compensation for home internet?

Checked · updated

Translated from Russian. Original

Rumor: Callers posing as the Social Fund (Russia's pension and benefits agency), the tax service or your internet provider say you are owed compensation for home internet or a computer. To "process" it, they ask for the code from an SMS or to "confirm your data" on Gosuslugi (Russia's government services portal).

1. Verdict

Fake

The Social Fund and the tax service do not pay compensation for home internet or a computer, and they do not call with such offers. Scammers need the SMS code to log in to your Gosuslugi account, and through it reach your bank or loans. Real internet compensation exists only for remote workers: the employer pays it under the employment contract, with no calls and no codes.

High: Social Fund (Russia's pension and benefits agency) branches state themselves that they never ask for codes by phone, and by law only an employer pays internet compensation. Not "very high": all media retell a single interior ministry report, so it is effectively one source.

2. Claims and facts

  • «You are owed compensation for home internet or a personal computer from the Social Fund or the tax service»False

    According to the MVD, the Social Fund and the tax service do "not grant automatic compensation" for home internet and personal equipment. The law has no separate state payment for internet.[1][2][6]

  • «To get the payment, you must give an SMS code or confirm your data on Gosuslugi»False

    An SMS code is the key to log in to your account or confirm an operation. Social Fund branches state that their employees never ask for codes, passwords or card details by phone.[9][10][5]

  • «The caller is an employee of the Social Fund, the tax service or an internet provider»False

    These are scammers posing as agency staff. The number on your screen can be faked, so it proves nothing. The MVD advises hanging up and calling the organization back at the number on its official website.[1][3]

  • «Compensation for internet and equipment exists at all»Partly

    It does, but not from the state. An employer must compensate remote workers for using their own equipment and connection (Labor Code, Article 312.6). The amount is set in the employment contract or an internal company document. Up to 35 rubles a day of such a payment is not taxed. It is not requested through Gosuslugi or SMS codes.[11]

  • «Stolen Gosuslugi accounts are used to take out loans in a person's name»True

    True. Moskva 24, citing the MVD, reports that a microloan can be taken out through a hijacked account.[4]

3. Where the rumor came from

  • MVD, "Bulletin of the Cyberpolice of Russia" · ru

    A similar earlier scheme: callers "from the tax or social service" promise a tax refund and ask for an SMS code, then a fake "police officer" calls.[17]

  • Social Fund website, Kirov branch · ru

    The Social Fund warns about calls on a "recalculation of payments": its staff do not ask for SMS codes.[9]

  • Gosuslugi · ru

    Gosuslugi launches a "Protection from scammers" section with step-by-step instructions for those who have already given away a code.[12]

  • RIA Novosti, citing the MVD · ru

    The first warning found about "compensation for home internet" specifically. The same day, Izvestia (including in English) and AiF republish the story.[1][7][6]

  • Regional media · ru

    The warning spreads across the regions, for example in Vladivostok.[8]

  • TASS, Izvestia · ru

    A parallel wave: the "Social Fund" calls pensioners about a "recalculation of work history" and asks for a code to "book an appointment".[14]

  • RIA Novosti, Prime, Moskva 24, citing the MVD · ru

    A repeated MVD warning. The scheme has widened: besides internet, callers promise money for a personal computer and for renting equipment for remote work. Moskva 24 adds that microloans are taken out through the account.[2][5][4][3]

  • RIA Novosti, "Moshelovka" of the Popular Front · ru

    Another wave "from the Social Fund": people are asked to "confirm an early pension transfer" ahead of the November 4 holiday using an SMS code.[15][16]

How the text changed

  1. 2025: a "tax refund" from the tax or social service
  2. → June-October 2026: "recalculation of payments and work history" from the Social Fund
  3. → September 2026: "compensation for home internet" from the Social Fund or tax service
  4. → October 2026: + compensation for a personal computer and equipment for remote work
  5. → + in retellings: the hijacked account is used for a microloan
  6. → November 2026: "confirm your early pension" for the November 4 holiday

4. What the media say

  • RIA Novosti (citing the MVD)Debunks

    Described the scheme twice, on September 24 and October 30. The Social Fund and the tax service do not pay automatic compensation for internet.[1][2]

  • Moskva 24Debunks

    Retells the MVD warning: the target is the Gosuslugi account and a microloan in the victim's name.[4]

  • AiF, Izvestia, Prime, Mail NewsDebunks

    Republish the MVD warning and advise calling back on official numbers.[6][7][5][3]

  • Social Fund branches (Kirov and Saratov regions)Context

    Official pages: fund employees do not call to ask for codes, passwords or card details.[9][10]

  • buh.ruContext

    Explains the only real internet compensation: the employer pays it to a remote worker.[11]

  • Independent fact-checkers (Provereno.media and others)Silent

    No separate analysis of this particular scheme was found. All the material found relies on MVD reports.

5. Social media

No data.

6. Signs of manipulation

  • The caller poses as a state body. Posing as Social Fund or tax service staff, according to the MVD.
  • They ask for an SMS code. "To 'process' the compensation, people are asked to give a code from an SMS" - RIA Novosti.
  • Urgency and a confident tone. "The payment is already approved, you need to confirm right now" - an example from AiF.
  • A plausible pretext. Remote work: people really do spend money on internet, and the law does provide compensation for remote workers, but from the employer.
  • Money that "came by itself". The person applied for nothing, yet is told a payment is ready. State payments do not work this way.

7. Similar rumors in the past

  • Fake copies of the Gosuslugi site "process" a 10,000-ruble payment for children

    Outcome: The payment was real, the sites were not: they collected personal data and demanded "fees". About 30 such sites were found within a few days.[18]

  • Sites promising "social payments" and "compensation" for a "fee"

    Outcome: Kaspersky Lab counted almost five times more such pages than a year earlier.[19]

  • A call "from the tax service": you are owed a tax refund, give the code

    Outcome: MVD: this is an account takeover, followed by calls from fake police officers.[17]

  • "Compensation for fake dietary supplements": an "investigator" calls and asks you to pay for a "lawyer"

    Outcome: After the "lawyer" and "court costs" are paid, contact stops and there is no money.[20]

  • The "Social Fund" recalculates your work history and asks for a code to book an appointment

    Outcome: Fraud. The Social Fund does not ask for codes.[14][9]

  • "Confirm the early pension transfer" for November 4

    Outcome: The payment shift is real, but you do not need to confirm it. A request for a code is fraud.[15][16]

In common with past rumors

  • The call is made in the name of a state body: the Social Fund, the tax service, Gosuslugi
  • They promise money rather than threaten
  • They ask for an SMS code "to process it"
  • They rush you: "the payment is approved, confirm now"
  • The goal is the Gosuslugi or bank account

What is new

  • The pretext comes from real life: many people work from home and pay for their connection themselves
  • A real compensation from the employer exists nearby, which adds plausibility
  • It expanded quickly: from internet to a computer and equipment rental
  • Hijacked Gosuslugi accounts are used for microloans

9. What to do

  • Never give anyone an SMS code, even a "Social Fund employee". Hang up and call the organization yourself at the number on its official website. The Social Fund's single number: 8-800-10-000-01.
  • If you already gave the code: go to Gosuslugi right away, change your password, in "Security" -> "Account activity" sign out on all devices, and check the phone, email and passport data in your profile. If you cannot log in, call Gosuslugi support at 8-800-100-70-10 or go to a MFC (state services center) with your passport and SNILS (insurance number).
  • Call your bank at the number on your card: warn them about a possible hack and block the card if in doubt. Set a ban on taking out loans in your name (via Gosuslugi or an MFC) and check your credit history in 1-2 weeks. If you find a loan you did not take, file a report with the police (102 or 112) and with the bank or microfinance lender.
  • Ask your employer or check your employment contract about internet compensation for remote work. Warn elderly relatives: they are the ones most often deceived.

10. What we could not verify

  • The MVD has not published the number of victims or the amount of damage from this scheme.
  • Which MVD unit reported the scheme, and through which channel, is unclear: the media only write "MVD materials seen by RIA Novosti".
  • The MVD publications found do not mention an internet provider as the "caller": only the Social Fund and the tax service.
  • No viral social media posts with the "compensation" offer itself were found: the scheme lives in phone calls, not in posts.
  • A search in Ukrainian, Kazakh and English found only similar schemes with SMS codes, not this story; in English, only a translation of the Izvestia news item.
  • The step-by-step instructions in the "Protection from scammers" section of Gosuslugi could not be opened (login required); the steps in the advice are taken from RBC and MVD warnings.
  • No separate federal statement from the Social Fund specifically about "internet compensation" was found, only regional warnings about codes.

11. Sources

  1. RIA Novosti - scheme with compensation for internet payments (24.09.2026) · accessed 2026.11.05
  2. RIA Novosti - SMS codes under the pretext of internet payments (30.10.2026) · accessed 2026.11.05
  3. Mail News - retelling of RIA Novosti (30.10.2026) · accessed 2026.11.05
  4. Moskva 24 - MVD on internet compensation (30.10.2026) · accessed 2026.11.05
  5. Prime - MVD on scammers with internet compensation · accessed 2026.11.05
  6. AiF - new fraud with compensation for home internet · accessed 2026.11.05
  7. Izvestia (English) - Scammers began promising compensation for Internet · accessed 2026.11.05
  8. VladNews - scammers offer internet compensation · accessed 2026.11.05
  9. Social Fund, Kirov branch - scammers and recalculation of payments · accessed 2026.11.05
  10. Social Fund, Saratov branch - warning about scammers · accessed 2026.11.05
  11. buh.ru - compensation for remote workers and personal income tax · accessed 2026.11.05
  12. ppt.ru - Gosuslugi launched a service for protection from scammers · accessed 2026.11.05
  13. RBC - what to do if your Gosuslugi account is hacked · accessed 2026.11.05
  14. Izvestia (English) - SMS code under the guise of recalculating work history · accessed 2026.11.05
  15. RIA Novosti - a new story for pensioners (03.11.2026) · accessed 2026.11.05
  16. Realnoe Vremya - scheme with early payments · accessed 2026.11.05
  17. www1.ru - MVD on password theft under the guise of tax refunds (2025) · accessed 2026.11.05
  18. Mel - fake Gosuslugi sites with payments for children (2020) · accessed 2026.11.05
  19. Anti-Malware - social payment fraud grew fivefold (2020) · accessed 2026.11.05
  20. Moskva 24 - scheme with "compensation" for dietary supplements (March 2026) · accessed 2026.11.05

#scammers#Gosuslugi#Social Fund#SMS code#compensation

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