Russia is intensifying its fight against telecom and online fraud, unveiling new measures Tuesday that include restrictions on international calls. Officials say millions of cases plague the country each year, with 50,000 to 70,000 people falling victim daily.
Stanislav Kuznetsov, deputy chairman of Sberbank, cited the figures at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, warning that fraud networks continue to exploit phone calls and messaging apps.
One victim, a Moscow resident named Elena, lost 3 million rubles ($40,000) after a caller posing as a Federal Security Service officer convinced her to take out “protective loans.” Russia’s Interior Ministry said another resident lost a record 450 million rubles in a single case last October.
Authorities say scammers often create urgency to push victims into rash decisions. A study by Moscow-based Sidorin Lab found that people aged 25 to 39 accounted for 32.5% of complaints in the first half of 2025, while those aged 40 to 59 made up 31.4%.
Fraud tactics are evolving. Mobile TeleSystems reported Apple users were the primary targets of malicious calls this year, accounting for 30% nationwide. Police recently dismantled a group accused of draining accounts across 78 regions, stealing more than 200 million rubles through malware disguised as apps on WhatsApp and Telegram.
Russia’s crackdown includes tighter SIM card controls, limits on automated calling, and caps on ATM withdrawals when suspicious transactions are detected. A second package of measures under review would ban international calls without subscriber consent. President Vladimir Putin said a third package is in development.
Officials are also building a biometric database to verify identities and exploring artificial intelligence to block fraudulent calls. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has ordered the system operational by April 1, 2026.