Russia's Ministry of Digital Development proposes new ways to combat telephone scammers
The Russian Ministry of Digital Development has presented a new package of measures aimed at protecting citizens from cybercriminals. Recently, the number of telephone fraud cases has increased significantly, so the agency plans to implement a number of strict restrictions and technical solutions to improve user security.
One of the key initiatives will be the creation of a unified consent platform on the 'Gosuslugi' (State Services) portal. This service will allow citizens to see in one place which organizations have access to their personal data and, if necessary, quickly revoke these permissions. It is expected that such transparency will help prevent information leaks and the use of personal data by malicious actors.
In addition, the ministry plans to introduce a ban on the sale of prepaid SIM cards without identity verification. Currently, such cards are often purchased anonymously, which allows scammers to hide their identity when making calls. The new rules will require telecom operators to verify the passport details of every subscriber before activating a number.
These measures are part of a larger strategy to combat digital threats. The authorities hope that tightening control over the sale of SIM cards and creating convenient tools for data management will help significantly reduce the number of successful attacks on Russians.
The Ministry of Digital Development's proposals are currently undergoing a discussion phase. If the bill is passed, the rules for using mobile communications and handling personal data in Russia will become stricter, which should increase the level of public trust in digital services.