False Posts About Pensions: Who is Targeted

Numerous pages on Facebook are actively spreading advertisements claiming that the government will increase pension amounts starting in November 2024, and that elderly citizens will benefit from free medical insurance. The advertisements utilize Armenia's state symbols and feature photos of government officials, including President Vahagn Khachaturyan and Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan. These posts have received hundreds of likes and shares.

This was reported by Civilnet.am. Links attached to the images in the media's posts lead to suspicious websites, which are primarily aimed at displaying commercial advertisements. Visitors are not required to enter personal or banking information.

The Ministry of Health has stated that there is no free medical insurance program planned for citizens over the age of 50. Pensions were last increased in July 2023, and no increase is expected either in 2024 or 2025. This was announced by Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Narek Mkrtchyan in the National Assembly on November 4, 2024.

Notably, these advertisements specifically target the elderly and pensioners. The ads are designed to be as appealing as possible to this age group, emphasizing the increase in pensions and the provision of free medical insurance.