Russia`s State Duma is set to begin considering a new bill next week aimed at strengthening the fight against cyber fraud. State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin announced this development via his Telegram channel.
The proposed legislation includes provisions that would mandate mobile operators to cease the return of advance payments to subscribers if law enforcement agencies suspect these funds were obtained through fraudulent activities. This measure is intended not only to prevent ongoing thefts but also to facilitate the timely recovery of stolen money for Russian citizens.
The State Duma speaker highlighted the significant rise in digital crime, noting that one in three crimes now occurs in the online environment, with over 80 percent classified as remote thefts. He specifically mentioned a recent fraudulent scheme where criminals divert money by topping up mobile phone balances, subsequently cashing out or transferring the funds to other accounts.
Separately, Russia recently experienced a surge in fraudulent calls impersonating “Russian Post.” Scammers contact individuals, claiming to be from a sorting center and falsely reporting issues with a package or delivery error.
