Proposed legislation enforcing penalties for litterers presented in the Russian State Duma
Cashing in on Chaos: Russia's Crackdown on "Droppers"
Get ready folks, the Kremlin's got a new target in its crosshairs: "droppers." These individuals act as intermediaries, lending their bank cards and digital wallets to scoundrels for a slice of the stolen pie. A bill proposed to the State Duma seeks to make this shady business a whole lot riskier.
This bill aims to amend Article 187 of the Criminal Code, which deals with illegal circulation of means of payment. It's putting the squeeze on those providing their accounts to third parties for illegal operations, threatening them with fines of up to 300,000 rubles or a three-year stint behind bars. The same goes for those taking orders from third parties to use their accounts for illicit activities[1].
The big boys, RBC Group, are casting an even harsher gaze. If you give access to an account that isn't yours for illicit operations, prepare for a fine of up to 1 million rubles and up to six years in the slammer[1].
Now, let's spill the beans on the current state of play. In 2024 alone, a whopping 485,000 dropper-related crimes were committed, with 2023 seeing 470,000[3]. The total value of completed and suspended criminal cases associated with remote thefts in 2024 amounted to a mind-boggling 197.5 billion rubles[3]. There's a thriving black market for the sale of bank cards in Russia, providing the perfect avenue for crooks to launder their ill-gotten gains[3].
As for the going rate for droppers, they fetch between 15,000 and 30,000 rubles, with the average usage period of various electronic payment methods in their names ranging from two to five days[3].
In light of these staggering numbers, it's clear that the financial fraud game is far from over. Banks are taking action, blocking cards linked to droppers based on data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs[4]. The Bank of Russia, in tandem with various government agencies, is developing a national antifraud platform to spot and quash these schemes[4]. Recent laws have also tackled credit fraud and offered self-ban options for loans, attempts to shrink these criminal networks[4].
So there you have it—a sneak peek into Russia's cat-and-mouse game with the devilish droppers. Here's hoping the authorities can snuff out this financial smoke and mirrors before it's too late!
—Keep it or ditch it, your call. RBC's in your Telegram if you fancy a chat.
Sources:1. RBC Group2. The government has proposed to introduce criminal liability for droppers3. Finance4. RBC Group
- The bill, proposed to the State Duma, seeks to increase penalties for individuals who engage in the illegal practice of lending their bank cards or digital wallets, known as "droppers."
- RBC Group has proposed even harsher penalties for those who provide access to their accounts for illicit operations, with fines of up to 1 million rubles and imprisonment of up to six years.
- In 2024 alone, over 485,000 dropper-related crimes were committed, with a total value of completed and suspended criminal cases amounting to 197.5 billion rubles.
- Banks and government agencies are taking action to combat financial fraud, with the development of a national antifraud platform and measures to shrink criminal networks.
