The police received 88,764 reports of card fraud last year – an increase of 53 percent compared to 2022.
– It is a very sad development, says Lotta Mauritzson, anti-fraud coordinator at the police’s National Operative Department (NOA).
The number of notifications of credit card fraud fell sharply in 2021 in connection with the introduction of a new law that online purchases in the EU must be verified, for example by bank ID. The police have interpreted that as the law having had an effect.
Sites outside the EU
But now card fraud is increasing again. Why no one knows for sure. But one explanation could be that more people shop on sites outside the EU where fraudsters can access the card details, Lotta Mauritzson believes.
Collection of card details also takes place through data leaks, or through so-called phishing. The latter means that you receive an e-mail or text message containing a link that you are asked to click on, and then fill in your card details.
Card information is then sold between criminal actors, according to the police.
It also happens that fraudsters use social manipulation to get hold of card details. For example, they can call and pretend to be from a bank or authority, request card details and ask the victim to log in with a bank ID.
This is how you protect yourself
There are several ways to minimize the risks of being cheated by card fraudsters.
Hang up if you get a call from someone who wants your card details, or pressures you to make a quick transaction. Avoid buying things from shady sites outside the EU and never click on links in unknown text messages and emails.
In addition, you should not save the card details for future purchases on the site. It is also good to have a setting in the banking app that stops internet purchases as long as you have not approved them.
– If you do a lot of shopping on the internet, it can be a little tricky to open and close that function all the time. Then maybe you should get a separate shopping card that you have limited money on, so if you lose the card details, you won’t lose that much money, says Lotta Mauritzson.