What to do if your Qiwi wallet is blocked? Blocking anonymous electronic wallets in Belarus

10.08.2021

The state’s decision to ban cash withdrawals from anonymous wallets and payment cards, announced by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, is only part of a global strategy to bring the country’s financial flows out of the shadows. All financial transactions in the country will come under state control. About it FBA "Economy Today" experts said.

"Passport" mode

“The state’s desire to ban non-registered plastic cards and electronic wallets in Russia is not surprising - these are the tools most often used for financial fraud,” notes the deputy first vice-rector of the Russian School of Economics, professor of finance Oleg Shibanov. - The main goal of the country's leadership is to ensure transparency to identify any tax evasion. And this is normal - the state provides equal conditions for everyone in the Russian business environment.

If one entrepreneur transfers a meager “white” salary to employees on a card, giving the rest in envelopes, then he does not pay taxes, which means he finds himself in a more advantageous position compared to his competitors. And at the same time, the state does not receive enough income to ensure payments to pensioners and provide access to decent medical care and fulfill other social obligations."

Today, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that cash withdrawals from anonymous wallets and cards will soon be prohibited in the country. According to him, the movement of money must be absolutely transparent, meeting the requirements of Russian legislation and anti-money laundering conventions. Changes will be made to the law on national payment system. The Prime Minister explained: non-personalized wallets and cards are often used to cash out money of criminal origin and to give bribes.

“Banks themselves don’t particularly like anonymous cards and try to work with them as little as possible. And systems that provide electronic wallet services do everything to make working with them as inconvenient as possible without providing a passport. They limit the amount of transactions with them and complicate the withdrawal procedure. That is, everyone understands that there may be many questions about the money “spinning” there, and they distance themselves from them in advance,” the specialist believes.

A robot that "counts" other people's money

The other day it became known that Sberbank launched a special “robot” that monitors all financial transactions of the bank’s clients. Special software on servers is based in St. Petersburg, but “sees” operations not only throughout Russia, but also abroad. Its purpose is to identify suspicious transactions and report them to the bank. AND individual must indicate the source of income of these funds in order to access them.

“There is Federal Law No. 115, which obliges banks to monitor suspicious financial transactions and block them,” said Associate Professor of the Department of Banking Business and Innovative Financial Technologies of the International Banking Institute, Candidate of Economic Sciences Alexander Shchelkanov. – The fight is against tax evasion, money laundering and many other crimes. We see that the Central Bank regularly revokes licenses from commercial banks - most of them violated 115-FZ.

Another question is that it is impossible to process a huge amount of data on transactions; until now this has been done selectively, and the objects of inspections have been mainly legal entities. Sberbank is launching a pilot project with a “robot” that can do more than a human, and in the near future all banks will adopt such a system. We just need to develop criteria that will not allow the interests of law-abiding Russians to suffer."

Sberbank's "robot" will check periodic receipts to the client's card from one source, as well as large monetary transactions. In case of suspicion, the account is blocked until evidence of the legality of the origin of the money is received. It is reported that it will become almost impossible to hide real estate transactions or even payments for small services from taxes.

“The issue of criteria lies mainly in the amounts involved. Federal Law No. 115 includes an amount subject to verification - from 600 thousand rubles, but in case of suspicion, banks also pay attention to smaller transactions. If, for example, I provide monthly assistance to elderly parents, I can If I fall into the “suspicious” category and then have my account blocked, this will create some inconvenience for me.

Therefore, I want to believe that more or less significant transactions, at least from 100 thousand rubles, will come to the attention of the “robots”. Tracking the movement of finances to identify tax evasion is a global trend, and in Russia the need for such measures is also dictated by post-crisis economic realities. Conditions under which respectable taxpayers who are not involved in financial transactions will not come under suspicion will be created - this only takes time,” concludes Alexander Shchelkanov.

A user of the online payment service from Yandex contacted our editorial office. He has owned the e-wallet for about 10 years, but was recently blocked without explanation. And they offered to open a new one. We figured out what the logic was.

Blocked and refused to explain

“I received a letter from Yandex.Money - “This is an official notification that in 10 calendar days your ***20 wallet will be closed. The agreement to use the service is considered terminated.”
Naturally, I immediately contacted the support service to find out the reason for closing the account.”

Boris opened a wallet in Yandex.Money about 10 years ago:

“Of course, the wallet has long been identified. There were cases when they froze him and asked for certain data, which I provided in a timely manner.”

The user requested that the reasons for the blocking be explained to him. Useless:

Clause 4.21 contains rules for using the wallet, if violated, it may be blocked.

There are many points there. Here are some: use the wallet only personally, do not finance terrorism, politics and occult associations, do not launder money.

The user doubted that the money would be returned quickly

Boris’s account turnover for the partial year 2017 was almost 3.5 million rubles.

And there were about 150 thousand left in the account, which Yandex initially promised to withdraw to the user within 60 days.

True, the money was returned much earlier, a few days after the blocking.

But, as Boris told us, this does not cancel the complaints about the service.

Can I just open a new wallet?

The user is amazed that the service simply advised him to open a new account.

The Yandex.Money team did not disclose to Boris the logic of such actions. They only said that this way you can take it again Terms of use and start using it.

We didn’t find any intent to explain something to the user in reviews of Yandex.Money on Banki.ru. The client says that support does not agree to “discuss the reasons”:

What they answered to “Clerk” in Yandex.Money

We contacted Evgenia Arnautova, head of the public relations department at Yandex.Money. Here is her comment:

“The wallet is not blocked without serious reasons, such as violation of the law or the rules for using the account described in the user agreement. The bank secrecy regime prohibits a credit institution from disclosing information about the status of an account to someone other than its owner. But among the most common reasons why the service may have questions are conducting business using a wallet, complaints from third parties about deception on the part of the owner and failure to provide them with promised services, fundraising with the promise of increased benefits, indicating false data when passing identification, violation FZ-115. This, as well as other rules for using the wallet, are described in the user agreement (clause 4.21).
If the account holder violates these rules, the service may unilaterally close the wallet (clause 12.7) without disclosing the exact reason for terminating the contract for security reasons of both the service itself and its other clients.
In any case, the account owner will receive his money - it will be transferred to the bank details provided to him. The service rules do not prohibit users from creating a new wallet, but the same provisions of the user agreement will apply to it.”

Will electronic payment systems behave like banks?

Apparently, the time has come to admit that online payment systems will screen out users in the same way as banks.

"Clerk" every day of bank accounts. There are dozens of stories of people who are perplexed about the reasons for blocking customer accounts.

That they are simply prohibited, according to Central Bank regulations, from explaining the reasons for the blocking.

To understand what Yandex.Money is. This is a non-bank credit organization that has a license to carry out banking operations.

In 2012, due to the law “On the National Payment System,” Yandex.Money users were asked to accept a new user agreement. According to it, accounts in the system cannot be used in business activities.

Have you ever had your e-wallets blocked without explanation?

Added to bookmarks: 3

My QIWI wallet has been blocked.

So one September day I just drained money from Avangard, 25 thousand rubles, went into my wallet to send it further along the chain to another bank, and there - “24 hour blocking”, it froze for approx. 27 thousand rubles. I don’t know if one action is a consequence of the other, probably not, it was just morning and the block could have been imposed yesterday.

Of course, I wrote a complaint to Qiwi support. They, of course, referred to their Security Council, hiding under email address [email protected]. Of course, I did not receive a quick response and am STILL in the block (today is October 5, the block occurred on September 17).

Of course - because I already went through something similar in the year 2011. The reason for the block remained not entirely clear, but the sent scan of the passport and a scan of the contract with the telecom operator, plus a maximum of 5 working days did their job - the block was removed.

Now the situation is different, I “drive” a lot of money, but the wallet is identified, i.e. I have the right to spend 600 thousand rubles within a month.

Answer [email protected] 10 days later he was amazing: “When were the scans provided?” And that’s it, they are still silent, and I can’t find that agreement with the opsos to poke him with it again.

Wrote a complaint to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation against the so-called Qiwi Bank; I don’t think that this will straighten everything out immediately, more for my own peace of mind.

Now I don’t just have a 24 hour block, but

The wallet is blocked. If you have any questions about unlocking, you can contact us at: [email protected]

Poor people like me suggest writing complaints:

Maybe it will also be useful to someone text of the complaint, I found on the Internet so as not to type it myself:

Good afternoon.
Since 2011, I have been a user of the Visa Qiwi Wallet electronic payment service. Electronic wallet number 9000000000. The operator of this service is QIWI Bank (CJSC).

On September 13, 2013, I topped up my e-wallet 9000000000 in the amount of 89,985 rubles with four payments through a PSB ATM. From this amount, the service withheld a replenishment commission in the amount of 674.87 rubles. Taking into account the funds available on the electronic wallet, the total balance amounted to 92,221.74 rubles.
On the same day (September 13, 2013), I discovered that restrictions on outgoing payments had been introduced in relation to the electronic wallet.
There were no notifications from the service operator QIWI Bank (CJSC) about the blocking of my electronic wallet and the reasons for the blocking. The service’s obligation to notify of the reasons for refusal to make payments is enshrined in clause 6.5 of the “Public offer for the use of the Visa QIWI Wallet payment service,” but QIWI Bank (CJSC) did not fulfill this obligation.

I sent an email to support about the problem that arose. On September 14, 2013, the answer was received: “Good afternoon! Regarding this issue, you need to contact our security service at: [email protected]».
On September 15, 2013 I sent to the address [email protected] letter with attached scan of passport and agreement with mobile operator in relation to the number 9000000000, to which my e-wallet is linked.
Due to the lack of response, on September 16, 2013, I re-sent the letter to [email protected].
On September 18, 2013, I went through the identification procedure in relation to my electronic wallet 9000000000, provided for by Federal Law No. 115-FZ of August 7, 2001 “On combating the legalization (laundering) of proceeds from crime and the financing of terrorism.” Thus, QIWI Bank (CJSC) has all the necessary information about me, and my electronic wallet is personalized. According to paragraph 2 of Art. 10 of the Federal Law of June 27, 2011 No. 161-FZ “On the National Payment System” use electronic means payment is made by the client - an individual, provided that the balance of electronic funds at any time does not exceed 100 thousand rubles. There are 92,221.74 rubles in my electronic wallet, which meets the requirements of this article. Therefore, QIWI Bank (CJSC) does not have legal grounds to hold my funds.

Only on September 22, 2013, a response was received from the address [email protected]: "Hello Dmitry! Please attach a copy of the agreement to the SIM card again.” This answer was far-fetched and aimed at delaying time, since by this time I had already gone through the identification procedure and had already sent a scan of the contract with the mobile operator twice. However, on the same day for the third time I sent a scan of the contract with the operator cellular communication. But the e-wallet was still blocked for outgoing payments.
Due to the lack of response, on September 30, 2013, I once again sent to [email protected] reporting an existing problem.
But until today (October 2, 2013) there was still no response from QIWI Bank (CJSC). Funds in the amount of 92,221.74 rubles are still on the balance of my e-wallet, but the e-wallet continues to be blocked for outgoing payments, and I cannot use my money.
Such prolonged ignoring of my requests indicates the dishonest behavior of QIWI Bank (CJSC) and violates my rights as a consumer of the services of this organization. QIWI Bank (CJSC) is illegally withholding my cash.
I request an investigation into the violation of my rights by QIWI Bank (CJSC). Oblige QIWI Bank (CJSC) to eliminate violations by providing the opportunity to manage my funds. Hold QIWI Bank (CJSC) accountable for violating my rights.

Sincerely,
Ivan Ivanov
+7 900 000 00 00

I found a lot of discussions on the Internet about such blocking of Qiwi wallets. And there are even offers to unlock them for a fee. I have two options about what could be hidden behind such help: either fraud, or Kiwi employees wanting to earn extra money.
And what do you think? Have you encountered similar blocks of electronic wallets?

Update 10/19. The wallet has been unlocked. As usual, I entered my username/password in the hope of a miracle and saw my money, my unlocked wallet!

This was preceded by writing a review on banks.ru (it was counted with one) and a private message from, as I understand it, a QIWI employee:

In general, his intervention helped the campaign, because I received nothing by mail, no answer.

The Qiwi payment service has been operating successfully for 10 years, and today its services are used by more than 40 million people in Russia and abroad. The system has also gained popularity among numerous scammers who attack user accounts, encroaching on other people’s money. To protect service participants, Qiwi developers apply protective measures, which often include decent users. Why was your account blocked, how to unblock your Qiwi wallet and get into your Personal Area Online? We will talk about this in today's article.

Reasons for blocking a wallet

It happens that when entering your personal account on the official Qiwi Wallet website, the owner of the wallet discovers the following information: "Your wallet is blocked". It is unlikely that you will be able to independently determine the reasons for blocking your account before contacting Qiwi support.

Possible reasons for blocking:

the user has exceeded the permissible limits for withdrawal or transfer of funds;
the owner of the wallet was caught in connection with suspicious accounts;
Withdrawals are made from an individual’s account more than 2 times a week;
the system received a complaint against a user with suspicion of fraudulent transactions;
the client hides its IP address using special programs;
Qiwi user often withdraws funds to cards of different owners.

The risk of blocking increases significantly if the listed factors relate to an account that has not passed identification and has not activated SMS alerts.

Instructions for unlocking your wallet

If you suddenly discover that your Qiwi wallet is blocked, there is no need to panic - it is not lost forever. The technical support service will help you restore your wallet completely without losing money and user data.

Situations cannot be ruled out when the account owner is invited to the office or sent to undergo an identification procedure.

How to prevent your wallet from being blocked?

Unblocking an account is not so difficult, but in order not to waste time and nerves, you should take care of the security rules in advance.

do not give your phone to strangers;
connect SMS notifications in the Qiwi system;
link your wallet to by email;
go through the identification procedure in the electronic payment system;
come up with strong password and update it from time to time;
do not transfer funds or accept them from dubious users and strangers;
comply with limits on transactions in the system.

Familiarization with the regulations and security policy of the Qiwi payment system will help to avoid misunderstandings; you can download the regulations from the link.

Accidental blocking of a wallet is not a cost of a weak security system, but, on the contrary, an attentive attitude towards users in order to protect their personal savings. If your account is still blocked, now you know what to do and how to restore your wallet in case of blocking without losing money. Knowledge of the rules for working with electronic payment systems and compliance with precautions will help you avoid an unpleasant situation.

The state's decision to ban cash withdrawals from anonymous wallets and payment cards is only part of a global strategy to bring the country's financial flows out of the shadows. All financial transactions in the country will come under state control. Experts told FBA Economy Today about this.

"Passport" mode

“The state’s desire to ban non-registered plastic cards and electronic wallets in Russia is not surprising - these are the tools most often used for financial fraud,” notes Deputy First Vice-Rector of the Russian Economic School, professor of finance Oleg Shibanov. “The main goal of the country’s leadership is to ensure transparency to identify any evasions from paying taxes. And this is normal - the state provides equal conditions for everyone in the Russian business environment.

If one entrepreneur transfers a meager “white” salary to employees on a card, giving the rest in envelopes, then he does not pay taxes, which means he finds himself in a more advantageous position compared to his competitors. And at the same time, the state does not receive enough revenue to ensure payments to pensioners, provide access to decent medical care and fulfill other social obligations."

Today, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that cash withdrawals from anonymous wallets and cards will soon be prohibited in the country. According to him, the movement of money must be absolutely transparent, meeting the requirements of Russian legislation and anti-money laundering conventions. Changes will be made to the law on the national payment system. The Prime Minister explained: non-personalized wallets and cards are often used to cash out money of criminal origin and to give bribes.

A robot that “counts” other people’s money

The other day it became known that Sberbank launched a special “robot” that monitors all financial transactions of the bank’s clients. Special software on servers is based in St. Petersburg, but “sees” operations not only throughout Russia, but also abroad. Its purpose is to identify suspicious transactions and report them to the bank. And an individual must indicate the source of income of these funds in order to gain access to them.

“There is Federal Law No. 115, which obliges banks to monitor suspicious financial transactions and block them,” said Alexander Shchelkanov, Associate Professor of the Department of Banking Business and Innovative Financial Technologies of the International Banking Institute, Candidate of Economic Sciences. “The fight is against tax evasion, money laundering and many others.” crimes. We see that the Central Bank regularly revokes licenses of commercial banks - most of them violated 115-FZ.

Another issue is that it is impossible to process a huge amount of data on transactions; until now this has been done selectively, and the objects of inspections have been mainly legal entities. Sberbank is launching a pilot project with a “robot” that can do more than a human, and in the near future all banks will adopt such a system. We just need to develop criteria that will not allow the interests of law-abiding Russians to suffer."

Therefore, I want to believe that more or less significant transactions, at least from 100 thousand rubles, will come to the attention of the “robots”. Tracking the movement of finances to identify tax evasion is a global trend, and in Russia the need for such measures is also dictated by post-crisis economic realities. Conditions under which respectable taxpayers who are not involved in financial crimes will not come under suspicion will be created - it just takes time,” concludes Alexander Shchelkanov.