Messages are actively circulating on social networks about the possibility of receiving monetary compensation for participating in voting on the Open Budget platform. The Ministry of Economic Development and International Trade (MinEconfin) issued a warning about fraudulent schemes and strongly urged citizens not to share personal information with unknown individuals.
According to the agency's information, such offers are being made through unofficial bots in the Telegram messenger. Scammers promise participants financial rewards or other material benefits for supporting specific projects, but after the vote is counted, the promised amount is never transferred. The ministry has already received numerous complaints from citizens regarding the non-payment of these funds.
MinEconfin emphasized that the voting process itself is free, and no material incentives are provided for it. Citizens can vote exclusively through the official Open Budget portal, its official mobile applications for Android and iOS operating systems, as well as through the official bot on Telegram.
It is reported that the second stage of Open Budget 2026 began on August 22 and is scheduled to end on August 31 at 23:59.