Russia has introduced stricter measures to combat “dropperism” with the State Duma adopting two new laws. These laws aim to curb the illegal use of bank cards in fraudulent schemes by establishing criminal liability for selling bank cards and restricting their issuance to minors.

The sale of bank cards will now be punishable by up to six years in prison and a fine of up to one million rubles. Individuals who transfer access to their bank accounts or cards to third parties for monetary compensation may face up to three years in prison. Previously, the absence of such penalties allowed scammers to exploit individuals by offering seemingly easy money in exchange for their cards.

In addition to criminalizing the sale of bank cards, the new legislation prohibits banks from issuing debit cards to teenagers without parental consent. This measure seeks to protect children from being drawn into fraudulent schemes, as the recruitment of minors into dropper networks has become a significant concern.

According to State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, these legislative changes will limit criminals’ ability to launder stolen money and provide more effective protection for citizens and their funds. Lawyer Sergei Teterin believes that the new laws will significantly reduce the problem of dropperism among adolescents.