Internal Affairs Department Affirms Forgiveness in Unintentional Credit Card Transgressions to Swindlers
In a significant development, the Russian State Duma has approved a bill in its first reading, imposing criminal liability on individuals referred to as "droppers" who knowingly transfer bank cards for unauthorized operations. The bill was first introduced on May 2.
Under this legislation, "droppers" can face penalties including imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 300,000 rubles. The bill proposes amendments to Article 187 of the Criminal Code on the illegal turnover of means of payment.
In an explanation, Deputy Interior Minister Igor Zubov stated that an individual who accidentally provides their bank card to criminals would not be held responsible. However, Zubov clarified that "droppers" are those who obtain cards and, for a fee, subsequently pass them on to third parties for unrelated operations.
Meanwhile, those involved in illegal operations using someone else's account upon instruction from third parties are also subject to similar penalties, according to the bill. If the dropper is not a client of the bank and actively participates in the fraudulent scheme, the penalties increase to up to six years in prison or a fine of up to 1,000,000 rubles.
The new regulatory measures include limiting money transfers to 100,000 rubles per month for those suspected of participating in illegal cash-out schemes. Additionally, suspected droppers are entered into a special database used by banks and law enforcement, which may lead to blocked accounts or transfer restrictions.
The Central Bank of Russia has also gained authority to suspend suspicious transactions for up to 10 days starting from June 1, 2025. Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against droppers, underlining active law enforcement efforts to hold them accountable for credit card fraud. The bill also includes provisions under Article 159 of the Russian Criminal Code, which covers broad fraud-related offenses.
In summary, the adoption of this bill marks a significant step in cracking down on droppers, as the practice of passing on bank cards or other payment tools for unauthorized operations is now criminally punishable with imprisonment and fines. Additional measures have been introduced to combat such fraudulent activities.
The new legislation, targeting individuals known as "droppers," will impose penalties including imprisonment and hefty fines for knowingly transferring bank cards for unauthorized operations. This bill, which amends Article 187 of the Criminal Code on the illegal turnover of means of payment, is part of a broader effort to combat fraudulent activities in finance, business, politics, and general-news sectors.
