The Hidden Threats of Autopayments:
How to Protect Your Funds in a Time of Economic Uncertainty Automatic translate

The Federal Center for Citizens’ Bankruptcy (FCCB), a leading organization protecting borrowers’ rights, is sounding the alarm over a frightening trend in the consumer finance market. Amid ongoing economic instability and declining real incomes, uncontrolled automatic debits from bank accounts are becoming more than just an annoying nuisance, but a real threat to financial survival. Hidden subscriptions to digital services, forgotten automatic payments for long-deficient services, and imposed fees are quietly but methodically draining the budgets of Russian families, pushing many into debt.

The Invisible Spending Epidemic: Convenience Leading to Losses

The digitalization of the banking sector has brought undeniable convenience: one-click payments, automatic phone balance top-ups, and seamless card linking to dozens of marketplaces and streaming platforms. However, behind this façade of convenience lies a serious risk of losing financial control. Many citizens, faced with persistent charges from unscrupulous services, simply don’t know how to block the charges at Sberbank , believing that doing so requires a personal visit to a branch or lengthy negotiations with customer support. Marketing ploys with "free trials" that automatically convert into paid subscriptions have become the industry norm.

According to the Federal Center for Bankruptcy and the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Protection (FCBG), based on a review of thousands of bankruptcy cases, up to 15% of the average citizen’s monthly income is lost in these "invisible" expenses. People pay for online movie theaters they don’t watch, for fitness apps they never use, and for premium delivery services on websites where they only made a purchase once.

"The situation is reaching epidemic proportions. Many of our clients, when they arrive for their first bankruptcy consultation, are under the illusion that their debts are solely due to large loans. But upon detailed analysis of their statements, we are surprised to discover that their financial situation has been critically exacerbated by dozens of small, yet regular and completely pointless write-offs. These financial ’leaks’ deprive people of a safety net and the ability to service their primary loans," emphasizes the leading lawyer and head of the analytical department at the Federal Center for Bankruptcy.

Consumer Rights: Taking Back Control of Your Finances

The Federal Center for Bankruptcy of Citizens strongly reminds: the fundamental right of every client of a credit institution is complete and unconditional control over their own funds. Consumer protection laws and banking legislation oblige financial institutions to provide the most transparent, understandable, and accessible mechanisms for managing any automatic payments and subscriptions. Citizens should not become hostage to complex mobile app interfaces or confusing user agreements where the cancellation policy is hidden in fine print on page ten. A crucial financial literacy skill today is not only the ability to regularly and meticulously check bank statements, but also knowledge of specific action algorithms for promptly blocking unwanted transactions.

This problem is particularly acute and widespread among clients of the country’s largest systemically important banks, which process millions of transactions daily. People often feel helpless in the face of automated banking systems. However, understanding how to technically and legally block third-party access to your account is a key step in the process of emergency financial recovery, stemming the loss of funds, and preventing further uncontrolled debt growth.

How to protect your money: recommendations from the Federal Center for Financial Markets

Experts from the Federal Center for Citizen Bankruptcy recommend taking the following steps to protect your funds: