Russia's Digital Ministry drafting new measures to fight fraud, incl. droppers, deepfakes

MOSCOW. March 19 (Interfax) - Russia's Digital Development Ministry is drafting a new package of measures to combat telephone and Internet fraud, including so-called droppers, or people used by fraudsters to withdraw and cash stolen funds, and deepfakes, Minister Maksut Shadayev said.

The State Duma passed a bill to fight telephone and Internet fraud in the first reading on Tuesday. The bill includes about 30 measures, such as a ban on employees of government agencies, banks and telecom providers using foreign messengers to communicate with clients; mandatory marking of calls from organizations and international numbers; and an option for individuals to block spam calls, SMS messages and international calls.

There are also plans to launch an antifraud platform that will make it possible to combine the efforts of banks, telecom providers, online platforms and government agencies in fighting fraud.

"This is just the first step, we can't stop here. We're already preparing a second package of measures to specifically fight droppers, artificial intelligence, new technologies [used by criminals], so we will go further here," Shadayev said at the Duma plenary session at which the bill was passed.

Deputy Digital Development Minister Ivan Lebedev said the passed bill does not completely solve the problem of fighting fraud, specifically the problem of droppers.

"Therefore, of course, we see an additional task for ourselves regarding droppers - to prepare a legislative initiative as quickly as possible and come to [members of the Duma] with a proposal to pass it," Lebedev said.

"And the second thing that I also want to talk about is deepfakes. We all understand that fraudsters' next step is already not just a phone call, but when a loved one calls us - the likeness matches, the voice matches - and starts to request something from you. Most of our Russian people are kind, trusting. Of course they will respond with even greater effort, will try to help out, transfer. This cannot be allowed under any circumstances. Therefore, we see droppers and deepfakes as an extremely difficult challenge that we need to quickly solve. This is literally the top priority," Lebedev said.