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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Russia’s proposed Anti-Fraud 3.0 package would restrict who can sell SIM cards, require newly issued SIMs to start with a zero balance, and add rules for pre-registered SIMs, mass SMS services and SIMs used in connected equipment. As of 3 October 2026, the package was open for public discussion—not confirmed law. These are proposed federal measures, not rules specific to Moscow.
Who would be allowed to sell SIM cards?
The proposal would limit SIM distribution to direct dealers that are legal entities and have an agency agreement with a mobile operator. Individuals and individual entrepreneurs would no longer be able to sign subscriber agreements with customers on an operator’s behalf. The Moscow Times describes the aim as removing sub-dealers from the distribution chain. The Moscow Times’ 24 September report covered the proposed restriction and timetable.
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In practical terms, the proposal targets the route through which a SIM reaches a customer, rather than announcing a blanket ban on physical SIM sales. Direct operator dealers that meet the proposed conditions could continue selling them. The draft’s final wording and any transition arrangements were not established in the reports available by 3 October.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsWhy would new SIMs be sold with no money on them?
Operators would be required to issue new SIMs with a zero balance. The customer would first conclude the subscriber agreement and then add funds. The Ministry says the payment could help identify the person using the number. Its statement, reproduced by Garant, says: “Абонент должен будет внести средства на лицевой счёт и таким образом при платеже идентифицироваться.” The Ministry’s statement translates this as: “The subscriber will have to deposit funds into the account and thereby identify themselves through the payment.” Garant’s reproduction of the Ministry statement sets out the proposal.
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This would be an additional identification signal, not a substitute for existing identity checks before activation. A September report cited operator T2 as saying it already verifies customer identity and activates numbers only after required checks; Beeline said customers cannot use newly obtained numbers until they complete legally required identity checks. TechRadar’s report gives that operator context alongside the proposed zero-balance measure.
What else is in the Anti-Fraud 3.0 package?
The Ministry’s published summary also describes proposals to:
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- Prohibit selling SIM cards that are already registered to another subscriber.
- Restrict providers of mass SMS distribution to telecom operators.
- Authorize the government to set specific rules for SIM use in machine-to-machine (M2M) equipment.
Vedomosti reported further draft details for corporate M2M numbers, including registration requirements for the numbers and equipment information. These are details reported from the draft, beyond the Ministry summary’s broader description. Vedomosti’s 1 October report covers those provisions.
How large could the impact on SIM sellers be?
The Ministry’s announcement did not state how many sub-dealers, retail outlets or jobs would be affected. TechRadar relayed an unattributed industry estimate that intermediaries account for almost half of physical SIM purchases in Russia. That estimate concerns the share of purchases, not the share of sellers or shops; it is not an official count and does not establish how many businesses would close. TechRadar reported the estimate, but the underlying organization and publication year were not identified in the accessible passage.
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When could the measures take effect?
The Ministry said the draft package had been published for public discussion on 30 September 2026. The Moscow Times reported that submission to the State Duma was planned for autumn 2026, while Vedomosti reported an expected effective date of 1 March 2027. Both dates describe plans, not a final legislative outcome. The measures should not be treated as enacted unless subsequent legislative developments confirm that status. The Ministry announcement reproduced by Garant, The Moscow Times and Vedomosti report the proposal and projected timing.
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