Complaints against microfinance organizations in Russia increased by almost 50%

In January – March 2026, the Bank of Russia received about 14 thousand. complaints against microfinance organizations (MFOs). This is 47% more than in the first quarter of 2025. Most often, complaints relate to the return of money for additional services and the refusal of microfinance organizations to provide copies of documents on accrued interest, the balance of the debt or its repayment.

It turned out that the sharp increase in complaints against microfinance organizations is partly due to the activity of anti-collectors or so-called “debtor collectors.” They promise borrowers to solve problems with overdue debts. They take payment for their services, prepare boilerplate baseless complaints, send them to the regulator and then disappear.

“The borrower thinks that his problem has been solved, but in fact the debt does not disappear anywhere and the person simply loses money,” says information on the “Financial Culture” portal of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.

The regulator reminds citizens of legal ways to solve debt problems. You can negotiate a deferment or debt restructuring directly with the creditor or collectors who are interested in returning the money and are usually open to dialogue.

If an agreement could not be reached, and there is no money for repayment and is not forthcoming, a bankruptcy procedure may be a last resort. It entails financial restrictions, but allows you to get out of the debt hole.

Bankruptcy can be filed through a court with the involvement of a financial manager or in a simplified manner through a multifunctional center (MFC). Extrajudicial bankruptcy is free and does not require intermediaries, but is available only if the court was previously unable to recover funds from the debtor due to the lack of property and income.

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