What to do if scammers found out my SNILS number

Decoding and purpose of SNILS

To understand why scammers need a SNILS number, you need to familiarize yourself with the concept itself and its purpose. The individual personal account insurance number (SNILS) is intended to store pension fees that are transferred to the account from the employer. SNILS is opened in the Pension Fund for every Russian citizen along with receiving a birth certificate.

An insurance code is also assigned to foreigners who are officially employed in Russia. A compulsory insurance card is issued by the Pension Fund or by the employer. For minor citizens, SNILS is used when receiving education or medical care.

Each citizen is assigned one unique number. There is no other identical SNILS. It is impossible to change the received numbers. The individual code encrypts the person’s full name and information about the person’s place and date of birth.

Purpose of issuing SNILS

All Russian citizens receive SNILS immediately after birth, as well as foreigners officially employed in the country. Many people are given a card when they are employed. The employer transfers funds to the received number, which serve as the basis for pension savings.

An insurance certificate will be useful when applying for government benefits. If a minor citizen wants to earn extra money during the holidays, then he must also be given a SNILS. Thanks to a unique card, you can find out the status of your pension savings account.

Looking to the future

Since the second half of last year, the Ministry of Labor has intended to simplify access to the Public Services portal by unifying access by entering the SNILS number.

If this happens, then by entering the appropriate combination of numbers, attackers will gain access to a variety of confidential information, including passport data, which can be successfully used to obtain a loan fraudulently.

This innovation has more opponents than supporters , since weaknesses and connivance for scammers are obvious even to the naked eye, however, even the currently existing system of simplified login by entering SNILS and password provides freedom for scammers.

The vulnerability of the current personal data security system, although less than only when entering SNILS, exists, since any password can be hacked, it all depends on the time and amount of computing power involved in decoding.

Due to the above reasons, those of the 14 million users of the State Services portal who have chosen a simplified form of access are already vulnerable today , since all personal data entered into the system can be stolen and used for illegal purposes, and this can only be prevented by keeping SNILS intact .

An analysis of precedents for manipulating citizens’ SNILS and their consequences, made on the basis of available thematic publications, allows us to judge the harmlessness of this type of unscrupulous behavior.

It is not possible to recognize such actions as illegal and condemn them as fraud, due to the lack of corpus delicti, at least until one of the unscrupulous NPFs appropriates the funded portions of citizens’ pensions transferred to its disposal.

Despite the conclusions made, you should not provide anyone other than a voluntarily selected pension fund with your individual personal account insurance number , which in the future may allow access to personal data through the State Services website.

Regulation of activities in the field of pension provision

The pension consists of an insurance and funded part . Insurance finances are always kept in the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation, but savings funds are allowed to be transferred to a non-governmental organization.

Non-state pension funds are organizations that store money and charge interest on it every year. The operating scheme of such companies is similar to banking institutions.

There is no difference where savings are stored, but the legalization of non-state pension funds makes its own adjustments. Now a large number of companies are being created that do not inspire confidence among taxpayers. To transfer savings funds to such an organization, it is enough to provide your SNILS number, personal data and sign a special permission. That is why people have appeared who are trying to find out SNILS by any means.

What to do if scammers already have your SNILS number

Fraudsters who find out the number of the compulsory insurance card of citizens will certainly carry out various frauds with it. Therefore, you need to immediately call or personally visit a branch of the Pension Fund, asking department employees not to transfer the funded part of the pension to a non-state pension fund when such a request is received.

Article on the topic: The concept of insurance certificate of state social insurance of the Republic of Belarus

If the pension has already been transferred to a non-state fund, then you must write an application addressed to the head of this fund, indicating that consent to the transfer of pension savings was not given, so it is necessary to transfer them back to the Pension Fund (or another fund in which they were previously stored). It would also be a good idea to contact the police with a corresponding report of identity theft.

Is it okay to show your insurance certificate to strangers?

Some government agencies may ask you to show proof of insurance. But it is prohibited to give your personal code to dubious people you meet on the street. It is also prohibited to provide third parties with notarized photocopies of personal documents. Serious scams , so it is better not to disclose personal information.

Why did the lawyer at the legal consultation make a copy of my SNILS for himself?

From the end of October 2021 There have been important changes in the procedural legislation of the Russian Federation. Now persons participating in the case have the right to submit documents to the court through electronic document management via the Internet. When sending a claim and its attachments, the online service of the State Automated System “Justice” requires you to fill out a form in which you must indicate, in particular, the SNILS of the citizen-applicant. Therefore, in this situation, you should not worry if your lawyer made a copy of it for the civil case.

Does the insurance code provide access to personal data?

SNILS allows you to find out the amount of pension savings of a particular citizen of the Russian Federation. Fraudsters use an insurance certificate to find out the amount of income in a specific period of time. The number itself does not allow you to receive money for personal use.

Alexander Vadimovich

Civil lawyer. More than 12 years of experience

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But information about income allows scammers to identify rich people who can be deceived in the future.

If an outsider receives the code, then the pension savings may end up in a non-state pension fund. To steal money, scammers falsify applications or obtain a signature by slipping other documents to the person. To avoid becoming clients of unscrupulous organizations, do not sign papers without first and thoroughly reading them.

Many people do not understand why scammers need SNILS if it cannot be used to obtain a loan, withdraw money from a bank account, or re-register property. But with the help of an insurance certificate, it is possible to hack into a personal profile on the State Services website , and there is information that allows access to the taxpayer’s funds.

Receiving schemes

To get a SNILS number, scammers are developing various schemes. The most popular method is a visit from a fake PF employee. The scammer claims that indicating an individual code is required to reduce the amount of the monthly payment or issue supplements. Sometimes scammers call you by phone and ask you to dictate your SNILS number.

There are also online scams when scammers create websites identical to official portals. Large-scale deception schemes are implemented during employment. The citizen thinks that he is signing cooperation documents, but in fact the person is being given permission to transfer savings funds to a non-state pension fund.

Often, gullible citizens provide copies of documents, hoping to get a well-paid position.

Obtaining information through a survey

Typically, well-dressed young men and women interview citizens. They introduce themselves as government service employees. During the communication process, the person calls the SNILS number, which is supposedly intended for registering the profile. To gain the trust of citizens, scammers use fake IDs.

People are intimidated to get a photograph of a document. Fraudsters claim that if the insurance certificate code is not written down now, part of the pension will be written off.

Through lies, manipulation and intimidation, swindlers obtain a citizen’s signature.

Survey features:

Some scammers pose as employees of non-state pension funds. Through manipulation and indirect threats, these people achieve the transfer of a citizen’s savings funds to the organization they represent.
Other scammers claim to work for the government. They invite citizens to sign certain papers, which include loan agreements and paid services from various organizations.

You need to remember that you cannot sign any documents without first studying them. NPFs are actively looking for clients and encouraging people to transfer funds to their company. But a person should be suspicious that a representative of the organization is visiting apartments and trying to find out SNILS.

Andrey Andreevich

Criminal lawyer. Work experience over 17 years

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If a citizen does not plan to transfer his savings to another company, then there is no need to show his card to strangers.

Employment

When a person gets a job, he is obliged to provide SNILS or give permission to issue a card if the insurance certificate has not yet been issued. Personal data of employees is stored in the accounting department. They are not distributed to third parties. Often, employees of non-state pension funds ask company managers to conduct campaigns among its employees in order to attract new clients.

Sometimes promotions are held where each person who brings a friend receives a financial bonus. In some cases, the employer requires that employees transfer to a non-state pension fund, since the company has entered into an agreement with this organization. It is important to remember that no one under the law can force you to cooperate with another fund.

Internet fraud

Many fraudulent schemes are built on the Internet. Personal data may be required when logging into a website.

Schemes for obtaining a SNILS number via the Internet:

Information is requested to provide some services or information.
Fraudsters develop clone sites that are identical to government resources. The person does not suspect that he is entering personal data on an unofficial portal.

To avoid being scammed, pay attention to the name of the site. If the portal only collects SNILS numbers, then no further confirmation is required.

The insurance certificate does not need any additions; it is issued once and for life.

Risks of quick registration on a government service resource

The official website of government services is designed for the convenience of citizens. Your personal account stores information about a person. Thanks to the portal, you can order some services remotely, familiarize yourself with the procedures, and obtain the necessary information. To quickly register on the state services website, enter your SNILS number. But to avoid falling into a scam, it is recommended to replace the insurance certificate with an e-mail. Registration takes longer, but guarantees protection.

Why does an adult need an insurance card?

At the moment, SNILS is necessary in almost any area where you need to obtain personal documents. First of all, the card is needed for official employment. In addition, SNILS will be needed in the following situations:

Access to the government services portal.
Registration of medical services.
Purchase and sale of real estate.
Drawing up any form of contracts.
Obtaining maternity capital.
Contact any government agency.
Applying for a loan.
Transfer of the funded portion to NPF (Non-State Pension Fund).
Receiving state benefits.
Retirement.

In addition, in the near future, this card will become a unique personal identification document in any social sphere, replacing not only the TIN, but also a travel document, medical policy, student ID, and so on.

Why do scammers collect SNILS codes?

The main goal of scammers is to obtain new clients from NPFs. Employees of a non-governmental organization are financially rewarded for each taxpayer they attract.

You cannot get a loan using an individual insurance code, since banks do not issue loans without a passport and TIN.

Another option for scammers to use SNILS is to try to log into an account on a government services website. But in addition to the code, you also need a password, so the chance that scammers will hack your account is small. There is no need to fear that scammers will issue a loan in your name, since this is impossible without a passport, TIN and your signature.

Where scammers use someone else's SNILS

Scammers obtain SNILS in order to transfer the savings portion of a citizen’s funds to a non-state pension fund. In other situations, the individual code has no value. Non-governmental organizations are trying to attract more customers, so they use all the tricks.

What can scammers do if they know their SNILS number, passport details and TIN

Attackers are actively hunting for the personal data of citizens, and they are interested not only in SNILS, but also in passports, tax identification numbers and other documents - their numbers and series, as well as other information.

Why is it dangerous to provide certain documents to scammers?

SNILS. If an attacker somehow finds out the certificate number of a specific person, he will simply fill out an application on his own, sign it and transfer the accumulated pension contributions from his personal account from the Pension Fund to a non-state fund, which has its own interest rates. For each such trick, the fraudster receives a reward from the employer in the amount of 1,000 to 2,000 rubles, sometimes more. Many people even sign applications on their own, filling them out without reading the proposed document at all.
Passport details. Having a copy or photograph of the pages of a citizen's passport in hand, attackers can perform various actions. Most often, passport data is used to achieve the following goals: taking out a loan from a microfinance organization, applying for a loan with the help of accomplices in a large bank, registering a company on behalf of the victim, which will engage in illegal activities. Practice shows that with the help of passport data, fraudsters can perform almost any action that is available to the real owner of the document. Even the photo doesn't matter.
TIN. The TIN is not of particular value to fraudsters, because if you only have an individual tax number, there is no way to get rich or carry out fraudulent schemes - you will definitely need a passport or something else. Therefore, the TIN is usually stolen along with data from other documents of the victim.

Related article: Do you need SNILS to open an individual entrepreneur?

Important! If you have passport data, fraudsters can request a TIN through government services.

Procedure if a swindler has taken possession of personal data

Most often, pensioners (a vulnerable category of the population) become victims of scammers. In any case, it is important not to panic, contact the Pension Fund, and, if necessary, a lawyer.

Procedure if the SNILS number is in the hands of scammers:

If scammers transferred part of the funds to a non-state pension fund account, then by law a citizen can return these funds to a government organization. First you need to contact the Pension Fund and write an application to return the funds ahead of schedule.
Next, it is recommended to change the nickname and password for accessing your account on the government services resource.
In order for fraudsters to be held accountable for their actions before the law, significant evidence of their deceptive activities is required. You are allowed to contact the police if a person did not sign the permit, but the money still ended up in the NPF.

People often panic and don’t know what to do if scammers find out their SNILS number. It is important to immediately check for changes in the PF account and change the login parameters on the government services resource. To win a case in court , you need strong evidence and the help of a lawyer. Otherwise, the application will not be accepted, since it does not constitute a crime.

How scammers get a SNILS number

There are many schemes that criminals use to trick citizens into giving them personal information:

checking or replacing documents;
processing cash payments;
increase in pension;
filling out various applications for benefits and much more.

All these pretexts are used by criminals to get hold of the certificate number. Moreover, in some cases, scammers do not have to resort to tricks, because gullible people, especially those of retirement age, independently hand over all documents to them for “checking” and viewing, photographing, hoping to receive the promised monetary or social benefits.

Access to confidential information

Using the certificate number, criminals have the opportunity to register and log into an account on the State Services portal. At the moment, the site does not have additional security tools, so after authorization the attacker gets full access to the private personal information of the deceived citizen. In addition to State Services, the fraudster can also log into his personal account on the Pension Fund portal.

If the victim's account is completely filled out, the criminal receives the following data:

passport;
TIN;
place of residence and registration;
telephone number, e-mail;
information about the availability of movable and immovable property;
information about a citizen’s salary, paid contributions to funds;
other information from the profile or history of requests for public services.

Risk of property losses

If a fraudster only knows a citizen’s SNILS number, then the latter is unlikely to suffer any property losses. They are only possible in a situation where the criminal obtains complete confidential information from the victim’s State Services account. In this case, he can take out a loan and set up a shell company, which is why the victim will face numerous proceedings with the police, judicial authorities, and private companies.

But what will they do using the SNILS number? Certain losses also include the transfer of the funded part of the pension according to SNILS to non-state funds. The danger of such a transfer is that the very fact of transferring funds will be unknown to the victim - no one will notify her about this, so deceived people usually find out this information by accident.

Related article: Passport details and SNILS number of one person

Access on the State Services website

The presence of SNILS allows the fraudster to gain access to confidential information on the State Services portal, which was previously entered by the victim, his relatives or employees of government departments. Passport data and other information are required to receive even small, insignificant government services, so the profile must be at least partially filled out. After logging in under someone else’s account, the attacker receives all the information about the victim available on the site. Therefore, it becomes clear what exactly scammers can do if they know the SNILS number.

In cases where fraudsters have learned the SNILS number, it is necessary to contact law enforcement agencies and the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation to prohibit the transfer of the funded part of the pension to any funds - such a service is provided to the population. It is also worth changing the password on the State Services portal or choosing a more complex authorization method.

Recommendations on how to avoid falling for scammers' tricks

To avoid becoming a victim of scammers, follow a few simple rules. Fraudsters always rush people and try to find out personal information.

Recommendations on how not to fall for the tricks of scammers:

Officials do not go door to door to collect personal data.
A representative of no authority can force a person to show an insurance certificate. If you refuse to present SNILS, then no penalty will follow.
The SNILS number must be provided when applying for a job, consulting at the Pension Fund and authorizing on the state service portal.

When a swindler shows some identification and threatens with fines, it is easy to succumb to manipulation and provide any information. To protect yourself and your loved ones, it is important to remember the laws and cases when you are required to provide SNILS.

Safety rules for SNILS owners

There are several rules that are relevant for owners of insurance certificates of different ages:

Pension Fund employees do not go to the homes of Russian citizens. Therefore, any persons who introduce themselves as employees of the Russian Pension Fund and ask to be allowed into the apartment are criminals.
Before signing any contracts and papers, you must read them carefully and become familiar with each clause.
When collaborating with recruitment agencies, you should not transfer SNILS to employees - they do not require such data by type of activity.
Do not leave your certificate number on the Internet on any website. Such information on the network can only be requested by the Gosuslugi portal or the Pension Fund of Russia website; other resources asking for such data are fraudulent.
The SNILS card cannot be handed over to third parties under any circumstances.