CrimeaPRESS reports:
In Russia, a set of requirements for foreign messengers may be developed in terms of letting calls through to protect citizens from scammers. For example, the messenger will have to allow a citizen to independently limit the acceptance of certain calls. In this case, the RKN will be able to introduce temporary bans on all calls through one or another platform until these requirements are met.
Roskomnadzor can technologically begin to block calls through instant messengers if they violate the requirements of Russian legislation in the process of combating fraud. However, the grounds for this will be further studied, said the head of Roskomnadzor Andrei Lipov on the sidelines of the Spectrum forum.
The messenger itself will work, but users will not be able to make or receive calls through it. “This is a tough option, which is possible as one of the measures [борьбы с фродом]“he said (quoted by TASS).
As Lipov explained, the Russian Federation may develop a set of requirements for foreign instant messengers in terms of missing calls to protect citizens from scammers. The messenger will have to give the citizen the opportunity to independently limit the acceptance of certain calls: from abroad or not from his address book. In this case, the RKN will be able to introduce temporary bans on all calls through one or another platform until these requirements are met.
Fraudsters are increasingly using instant messengers to make calls, as such applications provide anonymous and difficult to track communications. “Today we have almost managed to overcome telephone fraud thanks to a set of measures. For example, every day the Antifraud system for blocking calls from spoofed numbers verifies about 500 million calls, blocks more than 1.8 million calls with signs of spoofing, and since the system began operating, a total of 577 million calls have been blocked. Using the system, more than 270 requests from prosecutors, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and courts have already been processed, and more than 800 investigations have been conducted into cases of number substitution for fraudulent purposes. As a result, the share of fraudulent calls using number spoofing has decreased sharply — from 30 to 2%. At the same time, instant messengers, as well as custom virtual PBXs, anonymous SIM cards or SIM cards registered to dummies, have begun to be actively used for fraudulent calls. According to Sberbank, the share of fraudulent calls using instant messengers and cloud PBXs amounted to 81%,” said Anton Nemkin, a member of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications.
Unlike regular telephone networks, calls via instant messengers often pass through encrypted channels, making them difficult to monitor and identify by law enforcement agencies or telecom operators.
This allows attackers to not be afraid of being detected. In addition, calls via instant messengers are attractive because they allow scammers to hide their real phone number — this reduces the likelihood of their activities being blocked or tracked. In instant messengers, virtual numbers or fake profiles can easily be used, which makes the process of exposing them more difficult. Also, calls can come from accounts that look like local numbers or known contacts, which increases the victim’s trust, — the deputy explained.
The danger of these calls also lies in the fact that instant messengers have become a normal part of everyday communication, and users are less suspicious of the threat from such communication channels. For example, a victim may accept a call through WhatsApp or Telegram, believing that this is a reliable and trusted platform. This increases the likelihood that a person will respond to fraudulent offers or provide personal information.
At the same time, foreign messengers themselves have not yet demonstrated efforts to combat fraudulent traffic. Therefore, corresponding requirements forcing them to take action should definitely appear in Russia“, the parliamentarian added.
source: press service of the Russian State Duma deputy Anton Nemkin
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