Russian Banks Begin Blocking Suspicious ATM Withdrawals

Starting September 1, 2025, new Central Bank regulations will allow Russian banks to block risky cash withdrawals and transfers, aiming to protect citizens from financial fraud.

Russia’s Central Bank is rolling out a new anti-fraud mechanism on September 1. The regulator has defined several behavioral and operational patterns that banks must treat as potential red flags, requiring immediate action.

For example, withdrawals made at unusual times or locations, cash taken out using a QR code instead of a card, attempts to withdraw money right after securing a loan, or transfers exceeding 200,000 rubles (around $2,200) through the Faster Payments System will now trigger alerts. In such cases, the bank is required to notify the client via SMS or push notification.

Banks will also be able to impose a temporary daily cash withdrawal limit of 50,000 rubles (about $550) for up to 48 hours. Additionally, they will monitor technical signals such as suspicious account activity, phone number changes, signs of malware on user devices, and multiple failed transaction attempts in a single day.

To strengthen cybercrime prevention, one of the criteria will involve cross-checking client data against the Unified State Information System for countering IT-related offenses.