With scams flourishing in wartime Russia, lawmakers crack down by banning people from sharing their phones
What happened?
Russia is introducing new penalties for sharing one’s SIM card or phone with another person — or even just forwarding a text message with a one-time verification code. The State Duma has passed laws amending both the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offenses to incorporate the changes.
The measures are part of a broader effort to crack down on fraud, which has rapidly proliferated in the years since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In recent months, authorities have rolled out a series of initiatives aimed at limiting Russians’ contact with scammers. But these same changes are also creating new risks for ordinary citizens.
So Russia seriously banned people from letting others use their phones?
Yes — and the ban was actually signed into law several months ago, though it hasn’t taken effect yet. On April 1, Vladimir Putin signed a law titled “On the creation of a state information system to combat offenses committed using information and communication technologies, and on amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation.”
Among other things, the law introduced changes to the federal law “On Communications.” A new clause was added to the article on “Specifics of providing communication services to citizens”:
A subscriber — whether an individual or someone using a number registered to a company or sole proprietor — may not transfer their mobile phone number, issued under a personal service contract, to another person, except in cases specified in paragraph 10 of this article.
So if there are exceptions, that means not every case of sharing a phone or SIM card will be punished?
That’s right. The law outlines three main exceptions where the ban on sharing your phone doesn’t apply:
- Sharing with family members and close relatives
- Government officials (but only while acting in an official capacity)
- Emergency service personnel (also only while performing their official duties)
A note to the newly added article in the Administrative Code also allows for “brief, non-commercial” sharing of a phone “for personal communication needs.” In other words, letting a friend make a quick call because their battery died is allowed — as long as you’re not asking for payment or handing over the phone for an extended period.
What counts as “extended” isn’t defined in the law.
What are the penalties for long-term or paid phone sharing?
Misdemeanor fines. For ordinary citizens, the fine will range from 30,000 to 50,000 rubles ($380–$630).
However, that’s only for cases where the violation doesn’t qualify as a criminal offense.
So people could actually face criminal charges for this?
Yes. The law introduces criminal liability for individuals who organize or take part in illegal schemes to transfer mobile numbers if it’s done:
- for personal gain, or
- to facilitate another crime.
Under the amendments to the Criminal Code, organizers can face up to three years in prison, while participants can get up to two.
What does forwarding a one-time text message code have to do with this?
Forwarding a one-time code can now also be considered a violation under two other amendments to the Administrative Code and Criminal Code. These provisions ban the transfer of “information required for user registration and/or authorization” online. That includes login credentials, passwords, and one-time verification codes sent by text message.
The penalties are the same:
- A fine of 30,000 to 50,000 rubles if the action doesn’t meet the threshold for criminal prosecution;
- Up to three years in prison for organizers acting out of self-interest or to commit a separate crime;
- Up to two years in prison for participants.
So does that mean Russians can’t share their passwords or login info with anyone anymore?
In some cases they can. A note in the new article of the Code of Administrative Offenses on the “transfer of information needed to register or log into an online service” says it’s allowed if the person you share your credentials with is going to use them lawfully.
It is not considered an administrative offense to share login or registration information if it is done to allow another person to legally access the functions of an online resource — either with the user’s permission or on their behalf.
However, sharing leaked databases containing usernames and passwords will automatically be treated as a misdemeanor, and could even be classified as a crime.
When will all of this take effect?
The amendments to the communications law, along with the new articles in the Criminal and Administrative Codes, will all come into force on September 1, 2025. That’s also when Russia will start issuing fines for searching online for “extremist” content — and treating the use of VPNs as an aggravating factor in any criminal case.
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