The Federal Tax Service warned about fraudulent mailings in instant messengers

Russians began to receive messages on social networks from supposedly the Federal Tax Service (FTS) that they had a debt that urgently needed to be repaid within three days, otherwise there would be an “automatic transfer to the collection authorities.” A link was attached to the messages, which led not to the official website of the Federal Tax Service, but to a resource simulating the appearance of the service.

The Federal Tax Service denied such messaging in messengers. The official website of the tax office says that it sends out notifications either through the “Taxpayer’s Personal Account” or by regular mail. At the same time, the department can send letters by email only if the payer himself sent an application to the department through the official website of the Federal Tax Service of Russia and indicated his email address there to provide a response. “It's an electronic trap. After a citizen clicks on the link, he will be prompted to download a file with a virus. Thanks to the malicious program, fraudsters gain access to citizens’ personal data and bank card details,” warns the Federal Tax Service.

The fact that there are only three official ways in which an agency can send a tax notice or demand to a citizen is also stated in the Tax Code of Russia. Information security expert, Phishman CEO Alexey Gorelkin also confirmed that the Federal Tax Service has indeed started sending out tax notices, but it does not do this in instant messengers.

The Federal Tax Service warned back in July that scammers were becoming more active in messengers, posing as tax officials. The service recommended not to enter into correspondence with such accounts, not to click on the links they send, and not to transfer any information to them. The service issued the same warning about scammers trying to steal money from Russians in January 2026. “All information must be checked independently in your personal accounts on the official website of the Federal Tax Service of Russia,” the message said then.