Swedes are increasingly exposed to fraud. In 2023 alone, the number of reported fraud crimes increased by almost 22 percent compared to 2022 – to a whopping 238,371 reports.
Among the most common types of fraud crimes are both telephone fraud and investment fraud. Of the most common forms, the fraudsters’ criminal profits amount to hundreds of millions, and in some cases even billions.
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In 2023, criminal profits for fraud increased by as much as 22 percent compared to the year before. The total criminal profits landed at SEK 7.5 billion.
According to the police, the profits are reinvested in new criminal schemes such as drugs and weapons.
Profits of Crime 2023 by Fraud Type:
Source: The police
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The cunning approach of fraudsters
Recently, against the background of the increased number of frauds, it has become increasingly common for both companies, banks and authorities to go out and warn the public in Sweden. The fraudsters have adopted an approach where they pretend to represent everything from banks, companies and authorities in order to win your trust.
When unsuspecting people are contacted, the scammer uses their name to get you to hand over personal and banking information.
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Photo: Martina Holmberg / TT
Never click on links in emails or text messages that come from an unknown sender.
Never start BankID if someone calls and asks for it.
If someone tries to pressure you into doing something, think twice and check the task carefully.
If an offer for a profitable investment concerns, for example, cryptocurrency, you should be well aware of how it works before making an investment. In comparison, you can think that you don’t invest in a company without understanding what business the company conducts.
Source: The police
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They were cheated of 30 million – in September
As some of the most common victims of crime are elderly people, the newspaper now has The senior went out and sounded the alarm about the enormous sums the fraudsters manage to get through.
In September 2024 alone, they grabbed SEK 30 million, the newspaper states.
Usually, these are phone scams, so-called vishing, where private individuals are tricked and manipulated into sharing sensitive information, such as bank details. These phone scams resulted in SEK 30 million landing in the pockets of fraudsters during the month of September.
– We see a clear connection between network criminals and telephone fraud. We cannot accept that the victims’ money goes to criminal individuals who reinvest the money in other crimes, says Lotta Mauritzsoncoordinator at the National Fraud Center for Seniors.
Although the sum of 30 million is an incredible amount of money, it is actually the case that the sum is a reduction in criminal profits compared to the month before.
– But to say already now that it is a break in the trend is to claim victory in advance, even if the numbers indicate that we are heading in the right direction.
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Fraud via mobile, bank ID and Swish. Older people are more exposed to the risk of being scammed via unknown calls and messages. Photo: Caisa Rasmussen/TT
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