Business · Economy · 1 hr ago
Tax debt collection can block or divert credit card payments in Russia
People in Russia have reported credit card payments being blocked or diverted when they owe taxes.
The problem affects individuals and at least one individual entrepreneur, who said money added to a credit card was automatically taken to pay tax debt.
Russia’s Federal Tax Service says the process follows the law.
Banks must give tax debt collection priority over credit repayments when processing payments under official tax orders.
If money cannot reach the credit card, the borrower may fall behind on payments and face arrears.
The reports describe complaints and the tax service’s explanation, but give no wider measure of how common the problem is.
Russian borrowers have reported that tax-debt collection can block credit-card repayments or divert payments to the tax service.
The reports cite user posts on Banki.ru and complaints in the Federal Tax Service’s official chat.
The tax service said banks must follow payment priorities set by law, placing tax-debt collection ahead of loan repayment.
The problem has also affected an individual entrepreneur whose credit-card top-ups were automatically taken to pay tax debt.
- Who
- Russian borrowers, including an individual entrepreneur, and the Federal Tax Service.
- What
- Credit-card top-ups can be blocked or taken to pay tax debts, leaving borrowers unable to repay their cards.
- When
- The reports describe the issue; a case involving an entrepreneur occurred in April 2026.
- Where
- Russia.
- Why
- The Federal Tax Service says the law requires banks to prioritize tax-debt collection over loan repayment.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The tax service seized an individual entrepreneur’s current accounts and then their credit card, causing top-ups to be automatically taken for tax debt.
Vedomosti reported that combined tax debt among companies and individuals, including individual entrepreneurs, fell by 2.62% to 1.57 trillion rubles at the end of 2025.
Vedomosti reported on problems repaying credit-card debt because of tax-debt collection.
- Payment priority
- Tax-debt collection is third in the payment order; loan repayment is fifth.
- Debt at end of 2025
- 1.57 trillion rubles
- Change in debt
- Down 2.62% from the end of 2024
- Entrepreneur case
- April 2026
- Sources of complaints
- Banki.ru posts and the Federal Tax Service’s official chat
What people are saying
As a result, the card becomes overdue.
Sources
Related news
Yandex Pay restores some transfers and payments after data center attacks
Russia says it supplied $320.7 billion in energy to EU since 2022
Tax debts can divert payments meant for Russian credit cards
Russia says diesel exports could return to pre-crisis levels by year-end
Russian borrowers struggle to repay credit cards as labor shortage eases
Russia produced 72.7% more grain than it consumed in 2025
Records suggest Abramovich aides falsified documents to reduce tax and hide assets
Russia says diesel exports may exceed Trump’s announced figures
Sberbank files to declare Russian fuel company EuroTrans bankrupt
Discounts offered on 44% of Moscow’s mass-market new homes
Putin says Russia’s grain harvest will exceed 100 million tons
