Russia to Introduce 90-Day Cooling Off Period for Prepaid SIM Cards to Combat Fraud

© ООО "Региональные новости"

The Russian government plans to tighten rules for terminating mobile service contracts in an effort to curb the use of disposable SIM cards in fraudulent schemes, TASS reports. The new measure is part of the second package of anti-cybercrime bills, announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Head of Government Administration Dmitry Grigorenko at the Digital Industry of Industrial Russia conference.

Under the proposal, a subscriber will be able to officially terminate a mobile service contract no earlier than 90 days after its conclusion. The government believes this will make it more difficult for criminals who use short-term SIM cards to defraud citizens and then quickly dispose of them.

However, authorities stress that the restriction will not burden ordinary users. As Grigorenko explained, telecom operators are already required to stop charging fees once a customer notifies them of their intention to terminate services, even if the contract remains formally active.

Currently, the first package of measures against cyber fraud is already in effect in Russia. The second package has passed its first reading in the State Duma. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Digital Development is working on preparing the third stage of legislative initiatives.

According to government data, the already implemented measures have resulted in a 12% decrease in IT crimes by the end of 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, the reduction was nearly 30% compared to the same period of the previous year.