The Russian government has officially banned internet calls to mobile and landline telephones, as part of its intensified efforts to combat rising cases of telephone fraud. Announced on December 28, 2024, this measure will come fully operational on September 1, 2025, and targets the technological means often exploited by scammers to manipulate phone calls.
According to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and government sources, the ban is primarily aimed at restricting the capabilities associated with internet-based calling technologies, which were previously utilized by fraudulent operators to substitute legitimate phone numbers. "Chances are high this technology was mostly used by fraudsters as it allowed the substitution of numbers. Now this type of telephone fraud will be seriously limited," stated the government.
This change follows alarming reports of increasing telephone fraud incidents across Russia. Officials highlighted how the misuse of internet calling technologies has, regrettably, contributed to the uptick in scams, leading to severe financial losses for citizens. The implementation will redefine the licensing framework for telecommunications, as the government has removed the licensing requirement for the transmission of internet data with voice information, thereby halting this specific type of service.
Interestingly, the government has assured ordinary citizens using traditional voice communication methods will not experience any disruption. "People who use voice communication via messengers utilize special programs for communication through the Internet without relying on the networks of landline and mobile telephony," emphasized representatives from the government. This statement is meant to alleviate concerns about the potential impact of the ban on everyday communication, as it seems the government is attempting to create boundaries between lawful communication and criminal activities.
Statistics from recent months have painted a troubling picture: at the end of September 2024 alone, there were over 353,000 reported incidents of telephone fraud, with the overall number of information-communication technology crimes reaching around 564,000—an increase of over 15% compared to the previous year. The government's decision coincides with findings showing direct links between certain technologies enabling phone fraud and the increase of these crimes, with calls made through unauthorized services often resulting in serious monetary losses for victims.
The ban on internet calls to traditional phone networks has been framed as just one part of wider anti-fraud measures within Russia. There's growing speculation around the potential for additional restrictions concerning telephone communications through popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram; the government is reportedly considering measures to curb calls made through these platforms supposedly used for the same fraudulent purposes. This could entail either a total ban on such services or more focused restrictions aimed at international calls made via messaging applications.
Crucially, the Ministry of Digital Development and Roskomnadzor, Russia's telecom watchdog, are actively discussing these possibilities. Reports from local media suggest two scenarios are currently on the table: one targets incoming calls from abroad, which may be selectively blocked, and the other proposes sweeping bans on all types of voice calls made through messaging services.
Concluding, this legislative development appears to be just the tip of the iceberg. With officials increasingly linking technological capabilities to rising fraud cases, it raises serious questions about the balance between user privacy and security oversight. How far will the government go to rein in these new technologies, and what could be the resulting ripple effects for personal communication within Russia? Only time will reveal the complete impact of this significant shift against telephone fraud and its potential collateral effects on users enjoying open lines of communication.
