In 2023, Roskomnadzor, the Russian authority for telecommunications, discovered that out of the 351 million mobile numbers belonging to Russian communications operators, approximately 43 million had been obtained through violations. Fortunately, the operators have already rectified the data for 42 million numbers. However, between September and December 2023, the connection was discontinued for over 600 thousand numbers with unknown owners. A representative from the department shared this information with Vedomosti, a Russian newspaper.
To combat the distribution of SIM cards without proper buyer identification, Roskomnadzor and the Ministry of Internal Affairs conducted approximately 200 events between 2022 and 2023. They successfully confiscated more than 78 thousand “gray” SIM cards, the term referring to cards obtained through illegal means.
As of April 2023, operators have implemented a new process of requesting subscribers to confirm their passport data through PUSH notifications and SMS. This verification process is still ongoing. In August 2023, the operators began blocking numbers for which the owner’s identity had not been confirmed.
Since 2018, operators have been required to verify client information, including name, date of birth, and passport details, before providing services. In 2021, a law was introduced that compelled entrepreneurs to report the data of end-users of corporate SIM cards.
Operators have been lenient in confirming user data and have provided various verification methods, including using the “State Services”. If a number is blocked, customers can regain access by confirming their details.
Operators have been actively working to identify and block “gray” SIM cards in order to mitigate the risks associated with spam and fraud. The estimates suggest that the number of “gray” SIM cards is consistently decreasing. Currently, there are around 5 million such cards, compared to approximately 7 million a year ago. Of these 5 million cards, up to 15% are believed to be used in illegal activities such as fraud, theft, and terrorism.
The use of SIM cards obtained through violations can have serious consequences, including fines ranging from 300 thousand to 2 million rubles for companies and agents involved. Although the number of such SIM cards is decreasing, the problem remains relevant due to the ease of acquiring SIM cards without proper identification at markets and stations.