Fraud has become one of the most common crimes against private individuals in Sweden. According to statistics from The Crime Prevention Council (BRÅ) over 180,000 frauds were reported in 2022, an increase of 360 percent since the turn of the century.
News24 have interviewed Adrianus Warmenhoven, cybersecurity advisor at NordVPN, who believes that personal data can lead to devastating consequences.
– With your information, they can, for example, empty your bank account. Or even worse – hijack your identity to take out large loans in your name, he says.
As fraudsters become more sophisticated, more and more people fall into their traps. It usually starts with the fraudsters getting hold of your contact details. These are saved in online stores you used or on your social media. But also on search websites such as Eniro.se.
– The more companies that have your information, the greater the risk that it will leak out at some point and become available for sale on the dark web, among other things, says Adrianus Warmenhoven.
To reduce the risk of fraudsters getting hold of your information, you can easily remove it from the sites.
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Stop them from contacting you
In 2022, 6.1 percent of Sweden’s population was exposed to a sales fraud. Many times it happens over the phone or via SMS.
It is easy for criminals to find the addresses and phone numbers of their victims by searching online.
Sites such as MrKoll, Eniro, Hitta.se, Ratsit and Merinfo have certificates of publication, which gives them the right to publish personal data despite the GDPR.
The senior have put together some ways for you who want to keep your contact details away from official websites:
You can also contact your telephone operator and ask for a secret number. Then it will not be visible on public pages.
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Minimize the risk of account fraud
According to statistics from BRÅ, 3.7 percent of Sweden’s population was affected by card or credit fraud in 2022.
Most often, the fraudsters trick you into giving out information that can lead to them entering your account. Then they spend the money on their own. Adrianus Warmenhoven recommends that you should always be extra careful.
– Rather be a little too careful than the other way around. Instead, go to the company’s official website and log in or look up a phone number to contact them, he says.
A simple way to protect your money is to keep it in a niche bank. These banks have built-in locks that prevent transfers to accounts other than your own.
The police has also listed several tips on its website that can help you protect yourself from account fraud. Among other things, you can block your accounts for internet purchases and choose to open them only when you shop online.
They also recommend that you shop with cards that are not linked to your salary account. By using different accounts, you can protect larger amounts of money while keeping enough in your regular account for day-to-day expenses.
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