In Russia, banks and MFIs have begun to be fined en masse for sending personal data through foreign messengers

In Russia, banks and MFIs have begun to be fined en masse for sending personal data through foreign messengers

Courts in Russia have begun fining banks and microfinance organizations en masse for transmitting citizens’ personal data through foreign messengers, Verstka has noted.

Since March 2025, at least 21 such cases under Article 13.11.2 of the Administrative Offenses Code (unlawful use of foreign information systems) have been registered in district and magistrates’ courts. Administrative protocols are drawn up by Roskomnadzor.

In all 13 decisions published so far, the reason for the fines was messages to clients about debts sent via WhatsApp. Half of those decisions say the cases were opened after Roskomnadzor announced the messenger’s full blocking in Russia in November 2025.

The correspondence mentioned citizens’ personal data, for example their names and information about debt. In more than half of the known cases, the organizations were fined. In the published decisions, the fines range from 100,000 to 200,000 rubles (the article provides for fines of up to 700,000 rubles for legal entities).

Thus, in April 2025, Uralsib Bank was fined 200,000 rubles, becoming the first known case of a bank being held liable under Article 13.11.2 of the Administrative Offenses Code. In December, punishment (what exactly it was is not specified on the court website) was imposed on Sber.

🟦In April 2025, Vladimir Putin signed a law prohibiting employees of government bodies, banks, and telecom operators from communicating with clients through foreign messengers.

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