Fraudsters threaten parents with loss of child benefits, watchdog warns

Fraudsters are calling Russian parents and threatening to cancel child benefits unless they move their savings to a supposed special account, the Popular Front’s Moshelovka platform told RIA Novosti on October 12.

The callers impersonate Social Fund staff and claim that a review of personal bank accounts has uncovered transfers that could affect eligibility for benefits.

They then offer to confirm that the transfers are legitimate and exclude them from the family’s income. As part of this supposed process, they demand that all savings be moved to a “tax-exempt transit account”.

Moshelovka said the Social Fund does not require transfers to outside accounts to establish entitlement to benefits.

The platform advised families to address income-assessment questions through official notifications on Gosuslugi or during an in-person visit to the Social Fund. It also warned against giving callers login codes for government services or banking apps.