The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia has warned of the serious consequences of renting out accounts in messengers, up to criminal liability and imprisonment.
The agency noted that offers to rent out an account for a monetary reward are widespread on the Internet. However, such "easy" earnings can lead to serious problems.
Limiting the number of SIM cards per user has made it difficult for fraudsters to operate, so they have resorted to mass account rentals, attracting children and teenagers, to whom even a small payment seems significant.
Attackers recruit young people in thematic channels, online game chats, and communities dedicated to popular bloggers or events. One identified case involved a 10-year-old boy who rented out his account to fraudsters for 1,500 rubles. Crimes are committed through such accounts: fraud, blackmail, recruitment into prohibited organizations, and even terrorist activities.
The formal owner of the account may be recognized as an accomplice to the crime. If a criminal act is committed through a rented profile, law enforcement agencies will come to him first, and the punishment may include actual imprisonment.
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