Already in 2019, operation “Olga scam” was launched in Norway, named after the perpetrators chose to deceive women in their 80s. Soon the police saw that simple but effective telephone scams were being used against elderly women.
At the same time, a discovery was made regarding one of the perpetrators, who was Swedish and had connections to networks in Sweden that carried out serious violent crimes such as shootings and explosions.
Warns of Swedes in Norway
The Swedish frauds in Norway have continued since then – and they have not gone unnoticed by the Norwegians.
Norwegian banks have seen an increase, both from fraud and from Swedish interference. In a press release the Norwegian bank DNB writes that:
“The link between fraud and organized criminal networks has become clearer. During the fall of 2023, DNB followed a Swedish gang milieu that operates in Norway and commits fraud against our customers.”
In connection with the bank presenting a security report, coordination leader Stefan Larsson from the Swedish national operational department at the police, Noa, was on site to warn about and talk about the Swedish gang criminals’ activity in Norway.
Norway – a smorgasbord
Stefan Larsson believes that the criminals do not take borders into account and that Norway is an attractive market.
– The criminals do not see Sweden, Norway and Finland. They look north. They have no idea where the boundaries are. There is a market for them, says Stefan Larsson.
He also describes the Swedish drug market as limited and that the criminals have a need to expand it. Then you turn your attention to Norway, which he describes as a “sandwich table” for Swedish criminals.
– In 2020, we saw that criminals targeted the Norwegian market, especially when it comes to vishing and smishing, says Stefan Larsson.
Vishing is so-called fraud attempts via telephone and smishing via fake text messages.
At the same time, the Swedish police have adapted and disrupt the gangs more and more, which can make Norway more attractive, according to Stefan Larsson.
– I think the drug market in Sweden is getting crowded, as you have a limited clientele. it quickly becomes saturated and you have to expand it, says Stefan Larsson.