Fraud prevention

Scammers can be very convincing and may try to trick you in different ways. Follow these simple tips to keep your money and personal information safe:

• Never share personal information like passwords, PINs, or security codes.
  • Your bank, tax authorities, or the police will NEVER call, text, or email asking for this information.
• Your bank will never ask you to move money to a "safe account."
  • If someone tells you to transfer money to protect your account, it’s a scam.
• Do not install unknown software on your phone or computer.
  • Fraudsters may ask you to download Anydesk, TeamViewer, or similar software.
  • These programs let scammers control your device and steal your money.
• Never give anyone remote access to your phone, tablet, or computer.
  • No legitimate company will ask you to hand over control of your device.
• Be careful with phone calls from unknown numbers.
  • If someone calls claiming to be from your bank or another company, hang up and call back using the official number from the company’s website.
  • Do not use the call-back button—scammers can fake phone numbers to look real.
• Do not use any of your security codes at someone else’s request.
  • Only use them for transactions you fully understand.
  • Your bank will never call you and ask you to log in, approve a transaction, or share personal details.
• Trust your instincts—if something feels wrong, hang up!
  • Scammers create urgency and pressure to make you act quickly.
  • If a call feels uncomfortable, stressful, or strange, end it immediately.
• Just because someone knows some details about you doesn’t mean they’re real.
  • Fraudsters may have your name, address, or account number, but that doesn’t mean they’re from your bank.
• Never click on unknown links or call back strange phone numbers.
  • If you receive a suspicious message, visit the company’s official website instead of clicking on any links.

Scammers use tricks and lies to steal your money and personal information. They pretend to be banks, government agencies, or trusted companies to make you believe their story. Knowing how they operate can help you avoid becoming a victim.

Below are common scams and how to protect yourself.

Remote Access Scams (Anydesk, TeamViewer, etc.)

How the Scam Works

1. A scammer calls or emails you pretending to be from Microsoft, Google, or your bank.
2. They say your computer has a virus or that there is a security problem with your bank account.
3. They ask you to download remote access software like Anydesk or TeamViewer so they can "help you."
4. Once you install the software, they can control your device, access your bank account, and steal your money.

How to Protect Yourself

• Never download or install remote access software if someone asks you to over the phone or email.
• If you receive a call from a company offering such tech support, hang up and call them back using their official website number.
• Legitimate companies will NEVER call you out of the blue to fix your computer.

Phone Call & Text Message Scams (Vishing & Smishing)

How the Scam Works

1. A scammer pretends to be from your bank, police, Microsoft, Google, tax agency or other known and credible party and calls or texts you.
2. They say you need to authorize using you bank credentials to "stop fraud" or "approve a refund."
3. They create a sense of urgency and pressure you into acting quickly.
4. In reality, they are stealing your bank credentials and using it to make transactions or take out loans in your name.
5. In This type of fraud extends beyond text messages and can occur through platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and others.
6. They may also coach you on what to respond, if genuine bank employee will contact you, thus urging you to provide false information during the conversation with your bank. It's important to recognize these tactics as fraudulent flags, as legitimate entities like the police, banks, and other authorities would never make such demands or requests.

How to Protect Yourself

• Never share your bank credentials, passwords, or PINs over the phone or in an email.
• If you get a suspicious call, hang up and contact your bank directly via the appropriate communication channels.
• Do not approve any transaction unless you are 100% sure of its purpose.
• Vigilance and skepticism are essential in safeguarding against such scams.
• Be cautious of anyone requesting immediate financial action, such as transferring money or revealing account balances. Banks and law enforcement do not conduct such activities over phone or email.
• Be cautious if they ask for payment through non-traditional means, like cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfers.
• Do not download software, which gives access to your device, like Anydesk, TeamViewer, Chrome Remote Desktop, etc.

Investment Scams & Fake Brokers

How the Scam Works

1. Scammers pretend to be investment experts and promise you huge profits on cryptocurrency, stocks, etc.
2. They may first let you "earn" a small amount to gain your trust.
3. Once you send them more money, they stop responding or make excuses for why you can’t withdraw your profits, but instead- you need to invest more to get to “your earnings”.
4. In some cases, they convince you to take out a loan to invest more. They might mislead you by telling that the loan will be “offset” and you will not even need to pay it or that you will quickly earn handsome money that you will be able to repay loans in few weeks or months.
5. Perpetrators might reach you through different online platforms, social media or phone calls, you might receive offers from very persistent salespeople to invest.

How to Protect Yourself

• Never let anyone rush you into investing.
• Always check if an investment company is officially registered.
• Do some internet search yourself to read about the company, read the reviews left by their customer’s. Check if the company is not on the scammers’ list.
• Avoid offers that sound "too good to be true"—they probably are!
• Do not withdraw money in cash and hand it to unknown 3rd parties, who introduce themselves as brokers and convinces you to do it ‘for avoiding taxes purpose’.
• Be cautious and sceptical, if you are offered to contact the creditor or investment platform on the phone numbers provided by the unknown person – the individuals to whom you are directed might be perpetrators themselves.

Warning: Some victims receive calls years later from people pretending to be police or Interpol, saying they can help recover lost money—but they ask for an upfront payment. This is another scam! Do not be impressed that they know details about you previously being scammed – they know because they were part of it last time, too. 

Romance Scams

How the Scam Works

1. Scammers create fake profiles on dating sites and social media to approach people through social media platforms such as Tinder and Facebook.
2. Scammers pretend to be romantically interested in you and build trust over time.
3. After gaining your trust, they ask for money—often for a medical emergency, travel costs, or family problems.
4. They may ask for access to your device, like mobile phone, computer or convince you to approve transactions with your bank credentials or let you to use your bank account only for one time.
5. If victim does not agree to give money or personal data, perpetrator may start to threaten and manipulate.
6. Scammer might also ask their potential victim for a date, during which they may ask to borrow their phone device, ask for a little favour and approve ‘something’ with the BankID or give access to their bank account just for a ‘minute’.

How to Protect Yourself

• Never send money to someone you’ve only met online.
• Be skeptical of online relationships that move too fast.
• Do not let anyone access your phone.
• If something feels suspicious, search their name and photo online to check for fraud reports.
• Do not agree installation of software or applications, upon requests from newly met online friends before researching what this software does.
• Do not share access, passwords, PINs to your mobile device, computer or use your bank credentials for logins and authorizations.
• Do not leave your mobile unlocked, at any time, when it is not in your personal use.

Marketplace Scams (Facebook, eBay, etc.)

How the Scam Works

1. A scammer pretends to be a buyer or seller on an online marketplace.
2. They ask to continue the conversation outside the platform (e.g., Telegram, WhatsApp, email, SMS).
3. They send you fake payment links to steal your card details.
4. Scammers might also ask you to use your bank credentials to identify or confirm ‘receiving a payment’.
5. Some scammers claim they "accidentally overpaid" and ask you to send back the extra money—but there was never a real payment.

How to Protect Yourself

• Keep all conversations on the official marketplace platform.
• Do not provide your card details on a link sent by a buyer.
• Always check that a payment has actually arrived in your bank account before refunding money.
• If buyer claims mistakenly paid more than the price was, carefully check description of the incoming transaction and the payers name in your bank account statement. Do the details correspond the buyer’s name? If they do not, contact your bank immediately.
• Before sending ‘overpayment’ back to the provided bank account or mobile number, carefully check if it is the same as from where money was transferred to you. Otherwise, if you are dealing with the perpetrator, you might be misled to send money not back, but to the perpetrator.

Family & Close Friend Fraud

How the Scam Works

1. A family member or close friend gets access to your phone, computer, bank credentials, credit cards or banking details.
2. They use this information to apply for loans in your name or make unauthorized transactions.
3. They might persuade you to give them your bank credentials or approve transactions without explaining the real purpose.
4. They might gain access to your email or phone and delete the communication bank was sending to your, to conceal unauthorized transactions they have made.

How to Protect Yourself

• Keep your phone and banking apps locked with a strong password or biometric security.
• Never save banking passwords in browsers or share your device with others.
• Set up transaction alerts on your phone to monitor your account activity.
• If you suspect a family member has misused your details, contact your bank immediately.
• Avoid leaving sensitive information where others can easily access it.