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Stick it to the scammers! Catch on to fraud before it catches you.
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Scams and fraud are everywhere. Criminals make use of e-mails, text messages, social media, websites and phone calls to try to get a hold of your banking credentials or payment card information or to trick you into sending money to their bank account. You can protect yourself against digital fraud attempts by taking a few simple measures, so make sure to read on!

Rules of thumb – Keep at least this in mind

  • Be wary of any links you receive in an e-mail or text message. Don’t click on any suspicious links. Never use your banking credentials to log into a website you opened through a link someone sent you.
  • Don’t give your online banking credentials or passwords to anyone. Remember that your bank or the authorities will never ask for your banking credentials and that they have no need for them.
  • Your online banking credentials are meant for your personal use only. Don’t give them out to anyone.
  • Never use a search engine to access the e-services of banks, public institutions and authorities, such as the post office, the tax authority, the police, etc.
  • Always make sure you’re visiting the real website by manually typing in the full URL address or by using the service provider’s mobile application.

If you receive a strange request or suspicious message that seems to be coming from someone you know, contact the sender by other means to ask if it was really sent by them.

Steer clear of scams!

If you receive an even slightly suspicious offer or message, ask yourself the following questions before you act:

  • What e-mail domain or telephone area code did the message come from?
  • Were you expecting to receive the message?
  • Is this how a Finnish authority or institution would communicate?
  • Does the message contain misspelled words or weird language?
  • Is the offer too good to be true?
  • Why does the sender want you to act urgently?

If you suspect you’ve been defrauded, do the following:

  1. First and foremost, call the Finnish banks’ 24/7 blocking service or your own bank’s customer service to block access to your card or account. Quick action can prevent or at least mitigate damages.
  2. Report the offence to the police.
  3. Don’t suffer alone. Anyone can fall victim to fraud – there is no need to be ashamed of it. Reach out to friends and family and seek professional help, if necessary.

Different types of scams and fraud:

 

  • E-mail or text message scam
    The scammer contacts you with an e-mail or text message which typically claims to be from a trustworthy sender such as the post office or the police. The sender says that they have detected signs of fraud or suspicious activity and that you need to take action to protect your account. In reality, the scammer wants to gain access to your online banking credentials or payment card information.
  • Investment scam
    The scammer contacts you for example by phone or e-mail and offers a unique opportunity for a high-return investment. At first, the ‘investment’ seems to generate good returns, and you are encouraged to invest more and more money. In the end, the scammers cut contact and disappear with all of the invested funds.
  • CEO scam
    The scammer typically contacts you by e-mail, posing to be the CEO or director of the company you work for and requesting you to make an urgent money transfer. They can spoof the e-mail address so that it looks real and scrape social media for personal information that makes the message more convincing.
  • Romance scam
    The scammer looks for victims in online dating services and social media. After charming you into trusting them, the scammer will start asking for money for different reasons. The scammer will let the relationship develop over several weeks or even months before making the first request for funds so that you don’t suspect you’re being scammed.
  • Fake website
    Fake websites are skilfully made and can be virtually undiscernible from the real website of the bank, public institution or authority. You can end up in a fake website for example through a search engine. Visiting such a website can trick you into revealing your personal data or online banking credentials.
  • QR code scam
    A QR code is a square barcode that can be scanned using a smartphone camera to provide a quick way to access a website. Scammers can hide harmful links in QR codes that look legitimate. The code can, for example, claim to contain a special discount on a product. In reality, the QR code sends you to a phishing website that tricks you into revealing your online banking credentials or other sensitive information.