This is a typical feature of any bureaucracy, which basically describes every large power to some degree (some of which are more bureaucratic and others are less).
In a free market business, you can get special treatment, favors, etc., by offering more money. For example, if you want a better apartment, you pay more money for it. Under socialism, where supposedly everyone is treated equally and the apartments are supposedly equal, you get the better apartment using influence, trading favors, bartering, etc.
For another example, when you need surgery, which surgeon do you get? Under capitalism, you pay more for the better surgeon. Under socialism, you get the better surgeon through influence, favors, barter, bribes, etc. The same goes for any service or product where nothing is exactly equal.
This distinction doesn't ring true to me. There is plenty of corruption of all types in capitalism as well. You never seen or heard of someone calling in a favor to help a friend, even though no money changes hands? Or even if money does change hands, it's often under the table (like the recent college admissions scandal), and doesn't actually go to pay the correct body for the service being rendered.
> You never seen or heard of someone calling in a favor to help a friend
Of course I have. But under capitalism the normal method is through prices. With socialism, the normal method is as I said, because the pricing method is not available.
For another example, food prices are set by the government under socialism. The actual "price" of food was how long you were willing to wait for it. People would pay others to stand in line for them. There were shortages of the better stuff. While in a free market grocery, the price varies daily depending on fluctuating demand and supply. Shortages are rare.
Talk to someone who used to live in the former USSR.
I would absolutely love to go deep into all the ways in which what you've said misses the mark, but I frankly don't have the time (or probably even adequate space) to do so here. If this is a subject that interests you, you could probably find some neutral sources to educate you. That will help you discuss this in a way that doesn't lead to people exclaiming "What?!" out loud while drinking their morning coffee.
This is very typical of the bureaucracies that run socialism. It becomes a system of bartering favors, connections, and influence. (Instead of money.)