10 thousand are ready: MAX reported on phone numbers blocked for illegal actions

MAX messenger reported the blocking of 10 thousand accounts whose owners committed illegal actions. Blocking in MAX is carried out with reference to the phone number and the specific owner.

As explained in the press service, the messenger's security center records the violation specifically to the owner, not to the number as a whole. Therefore, when the number passes to a new owner — for example, after reselling a SIM card — that person can register a new account without any restrictions. This avoids the transfer of "blocks" by inheritance.

However, the problem of number "inheritance" goes beyond one messenger and affects the entire telecom market. According to Eldar Murtazin, telecom operators do not own the numbering capacity — it belongs to the state, and numbers are leased. After termination of the contract with the previous owner, the number goes into a "sump" for a period of several months to six months, and then can be issued to a new subscriber. The new owner risks facing the consequences of past use: unwanted calls from debt collectors or advertising services, difficulties in registering with services where the number may have been marked as spam or blocked for fraud. Alexey Slukin confirms that such numbers can be purchased from illegal sellers, as well as through official reissue from operators.

Experts emphasize the lack of a mechanism for "whitening" numbers. Appeals to Rospotrebnadzor or operators do not produce results, as there is no regulation for deleting negative history. The only way out is to change the number. In addition, the new owner may accidentally gain access to the previous user's accounts in services if unlinking was not performed. Operators such as Beeline, MTS, MegaFon and Tele2 "freeze" numbers for 1–6 months before resale and notify banks, Gosuslugi and some services about the termination of the contract. However, complete unlinking from messengers and social networks is not guaranteed, especially for foreign platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp, which do not always comply with Russian law.

Currently, consultations are underway to create a system for checking and unlinking numbers, including for Gosuslugi. Implementation is provided for by the plan of the Government of the Russian Federation for the fourth quarter of 2026. This will help minimize the risks for new number owners.

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