Anonymous prepaid cards - how, to whom and why?

Strangely, somehow everything happens: we seem to be moving towards transparency of all financial transactions, fighting the shadow market and all that. But at the same time there is a convenient loophole for illegal and semi-legal operations between individuals. Why are there a loophole ... rather, a wide and well-lit road.

It all started with the newsletter of one capital bank. It was proposed to issue a prepaid card "World". The message is: “give your mother (aunt, sister ...) for March 8, not a thousand (two, three) rubles, but a card to pay to her at any store”. Conveniently, elegantly ... But one phrase in the description of the new service hooked me: "When buying a gift card, you do not need to show your passport."

“How so?”, - I think, “we don’t have a sneeze without a passport, and here it’s like selling a banking service.” Decided to check. I came to the bank, did not spare money for the commission, paid in cash and voila! Now I have an anonymous “World” card with 500 rubles in the account! The passport really did not ask, only on the check signed. Immediately, at the ATM set PIN.
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Then I paid with this card in Pyaterochka (successfully), ordered food delivery (successfully), and replenished my mobile (successfully) with the rest. After I had dinner, the dark half of my consciousness started to work, which began to invent the most sinister scenarios with the participation of this card itself. And they came up with a lot. I offer you a list that DOES NOT CALL to do all these things, but only describes them.

1. Replacing “black cash”

Transfers “by phone number” (especially intensive ones) today may be of interest to both the sender's bank, the recipient's bank, and the FTS. Moreover, regardless of whether they are connected with illegal business activities or not. Cash? It’s not always convenient to mess with its transmission, and it’s not a secret. With a prepaid card, everything is simpler: in any way we transfer its number, expiration date and CVV-code. The recipient of funds through any card2card service or through the application of his bank transfers money to himself ( UPD: Understood that not all banks support transfer from cards without 3D-Secure, which, however, does not cancel the idea as a whole ). Well, or just ordering pizza on the Internet / new sneakers / mining farm ...

2. Purchase of cryptocurrency, account replenishment in online casinos, etc.

It is not recommended to shine the main card on doubtful resources. And this is not only about operations prohibited by law. In the Criminal Code, for example, there is no penalty for paying for a VPN service or buying Bitcoins. But common sense and current realities are strongly advised not to conduct such transactions with a personalized card. And from a prepaid card it is convenient to send voluntary donations to FBK and personally to Mr. Nav *** nomu ...

3. Purchase of not very legal (or simply indecent) things

It's not about drugs or, God forgive me, weapons. Difficulties may arise due to a penny "spy" pen with a video camera or packaging of completely legal dietary supplements. Because you never know what will come to mind to customs. A prepaid card + delivery to the postamat removes most of the risks. By the way, Aliexpress accepts “World” card as a payment without any problems.

An anonymous card is also suitable for silly draws. Buy something from the range of “products for adults” and arrange delivery to the home address of the unloved boss - what could be more witty (spoiler: no, in fact, this is not funny) ...

4. Blackmail, online extortion

Unfortunately, a prepaid card can be a convenient tool for real intruders. Most virus creators today demand a ransom in cryptocurrency. But for the townsfolk (who often “catch” these viruses), buying Bitcoin is akin to taking a curvilinear integral. Therefore, it will be much more convenient to give instructions in the style “to get the unlock code, go to the bank, buy a prepaid card and send it to email ...”

Probably, you are waiting here for the pathetic conclusion that “everything must be banned”? He will not be. The turnover of prepaid cards is allowed by the laws of the Russian Federation, and in other countries too. And in general, it is quite a handy tool that solves many problems. In order for it not to turn into an instrument of crime, it is enough to oblige the buyers of such cards to present a document. And the data in the form of “number of the purchased card - full name + document data” should be stored in the bank and issued at the request of the court.

Transfer money using prepaid cards

pros	Minuses
No need to personally meet with the recipient of money. The account / card of the sender / recipient is not compromised. The sender / recipient may remain anonymous. There is no limit on the amount - just use a few cards.	The amount cannot be arbitrary (must be a multiple of 500, 1000, 3000, 5000 or 10,000 rubles). Not all online stores accept prepaid cards. With “Mir” cards with rare exceptions, you can only pay in RuNet.

<joke>
If you want to thank the author of this publication, buy a gift card and send her details ...
</ joke>

UPD:
PS I answer the question from the comments: why did I write this post and why I voluntarily want to “chain myself in digital shackles”.
In general, the post - about the imbalance of our laws. Which tighten shocks of PPC from one side and leave holes on the other.
And the idea with passport data is in order to be able to catch real criminals who have decided to use prepaid cards, say, for extortion. ( UPD2: The idea, as it turned out, is bad. In the comments they pointed out that knowledge of the buyer’s passport data by the bank and the authorities will not help to establish the data of the conditional blackmailer, who will be given the card number and CVV as a ransom.