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Current frauds

Visit the page regularly to see current frauds

Contact the bank

If you are a victim of a fraud, or suspect you are, you must immediately contact your branch office or contact Personlig service on telephone 0771-77 88 99 to block your BankID.

You must also report the crime to the Police 

Important information

Find out how to avoid being scammed and what to look out for.

  • We will never contact you and prompt you to log in, ask you for BankID or to enter codes over the phone 
  • Never give up verification codes from your card reader over the phone, SMS, chat or mail
  • Logging in must always be on your own initiative

Block your code or card

If you suspect that someone has gained access to your code, card number or other important information you must block it.

Call Personlig service

In Sweden: 020-41 12 12
Other countries: +46 8 41 12 122

Open 24h every day.

Text message scams and Mum and dad scams

Text message scams

At present, we are seeing several different types of scam SMS text message. The aim of the text message may be, for example, to steal your log-in details or to install malicious code. The text message may look as if it comes from your bank, from your mobile operator, or from a well-known company. Never click on a link or call a phone number in a text message if you are not sure about the sender..

Mum and dad scams

“Mum and dad scams” are common at the moment. The idea of the scam is that you are contacted via text message by a person claiming to be your child or grandchild. The message might say, for example, that the child has lost their mobile, and needs help in making an urgent payment. Never make a payment or transfer money by phone unless you are completely sure that it is truly the correct person who has sent the message.

Romance and relationship scams

Romance and relationship scams are one of the fastest-growing forms of fraud. They usually go on for a long period, and the victim feels a great deal of guilt, shame and embarrassment at having been deceived. Such scams can take the following form.

  1. A person contacts you, saying that they are either the love of your life, or someone who will be a good friend. The initial contact is often via dating sites or apps, but it can also take the form of a friend request via social media.
  2. Conversations take place by chat or phone, which very quickly become deep, intense or loving. After promises of future meetings, holidays and marriage, the scammer claims to find themselves in a difficult situation, needing urgent financial assistance.
  3. The scammer is skilful, claiming that they can’t manage without your help, after which you cave in to the pressure and start sending money in response to various fabricated situations. The money is rarely sent directly to the person concerned, but to various proxies or partners, often with accounts in various countries. In some cases, the scammer will persuade you to incur debts by taking loans that are supposed be repaid as soon as the situation is resolved.

Avoid being tricked

  • If someone wishes to start a close relationship, be very wary and scrutinise the matter carefully.
  • Check that the person you’re talking to actually exists, and is who they claim to be.
  • Carry out searches for the names and images used by the person, to see whether other people have reported fraud.
  • Don’t give in to pressure, just because someone says that it’s urgent
  • Do not send money to a person whom you’ve not met in real life. You may make yourself complicit in a crime by having sent money to criminals.

Fraud against the elderly and the disabled

Bli svårlurad − tips mot telefonbedrägerier - Handelsbanken.se

Frauds often target the weak, elderly and disabled in society. Many in this group do not have access to the internet and therefore cannot access information. Therefore, it is important to inform their relatives in these groups about what they should be careful about and pay attention to.

Handelsbanken.se

Investment frauds

How you may be deceived

Investment fraud is becoming increasingly common, and is often long-term in nature. The fraud involves tricking an investor out of money on repeated occasions. The process may be as follows.

  1. The fraud begins with you being called up by an advisor who wants to offer a very attractive investment, often in the form of cryptocurrencies. If you accept this offer, further intense contacts follow, and you agree to start investing larger and larger sums.

  2. However, when you then want to sell the holding, the “conditions” are rarely right. Often, you are persuaded to invest even more money to lower the average price. You may also receive a call from another broker that wants to buy your holding, but in order to sell it, you have to pay a number of fake fees in advance.

  3. A while later, after you’ve discovered the scam, you may be called up by, for example, a lawyer who claims to represent other people who’ve been defrauded. In return for paying further advance fees, you can get help to get your money back. 

The fraudulent companies often have professional-looking websites and names which closely resemble those of well-known, established companies. You are often referred to fictitious public authorities and the websites of these authorities, for which they themselves are responsible. Learn more about investment frauds at Finansinspektionen.

Phone frauds

What forms does phone fraud take?

In this sort of fraud, a person contacts you, saying that they represent a well-known organisation. This could be a bank, a public authority, or a large company. Contact is made either by phone (vishing) or by text message (smishing).

The scammer claims that you’ve been exposed to some form of situation that must be dealt with immediately. You are then offered help to rectify the purported situation in exchange for you doing something that you shouldn’t actually do. For example, you might be tricked into divulging response codes from your card reader, using your BankID, signing a Swish payment or stating your card number. These details are then used to gain entry to Online Banking or to cause financial harm. It’s also common for scammers to trick people into downloading a remote control program that gives the scammer control over your computer or tablet device. In this way, the scammer can gain access to your accounts, possibly without you noticing.

Avoid being tricked when someone calls.

  • Hang up, and don’t respond to unsolicited phone calls or text messages in which you’re urged to disclose sensitive information or to use your card reader or BankID.

  • Don’t accept that someone is who they claim to be, however credible the person might be

  • Take the name of the person who has called you and ring them back by calling the company’s official phone number. You can never be sure of who has called you, if it’s not someone you know well.

  • Think rationally, and don’t let yourself become stressed.

  • Don’t click on links, and don’t follow any instructions in suspicious-looking text messages.

  • Never let anyone control your computer or mobile remotely.

  • Talk to your friends and acquaintances to increase awareness about these types of fraud.

  • If you become suspicious – don’t be afraid to hang up!

Learn more about how to protect yourself at the website Svårlurad.

Children are exploited for money laundering

Criminals exploit children and young people in order to launder money. The child may be tricked, enticed with money, or forced to receive or transfer money via Swish. This may sound innocent, but it can have major consequences for children and their parents alike. It makes them guilty of a criminal offence called money muling. As a parent, you can do a great deal to prevent your child from being the victim of fraud or being used in money laundering. 

Secure Swish

en mobil med swish

There are currently frauds aimed at Swish users. You may get a phone call where the caller claims they suspect you have been the target for a fraud. You are then asked to log in to the Online Banking. The aim is to raise the allowed amount of money you can transfer. Then you are asked to log into your Swish app in order to stop a transaction. this is here you are being scammed. 

The bank will never call you and ask you to identify yourself with BankID or to start your Swish app. When you use the Swish app it must always be on your own initiative. Always keep in mind that the amount field is intended for amount only and that the transaction is made in real time.