Fraud, Danske Bank | Big banks sound the crown alarm:

Scammers use the crown crisis to attack Norwegians in a vulnerable situation. So it’s important to know what to look for, according to experts.

– It is common to exploit people in an unsafe situation, like now, because many are fired and there is chaos in their lives. It’s easy for scammers to use it to their advantage, Ingrid Grav, a fraud advisor at Danske Bank, tells Nettavisen.

Investment fraud is especially common these days.

Terje Aleksander Fjeldvær, head of DNB’s fraud prevention unit, says that it’s nothing new for scammers to exploit people in times of crisis.

– Scammers exploit people in crisis situations because then people don’t know what is normal and how to deal with it, he tells Nettavisen.

When we are in an abnormal situation, it also becomes more difficult for people to assess what is abnormal. Therefore, it is easier to misjudge the messages, emails and information you read.

– Many people are delusional. Now there is a lot of fraud, he says.

Also read: DNB warns against cunning fraud

Play in the new normal

During the corona pandemic, there has been both an abnormal situation and a lot of false information on social media. So it is difficult to know how to behave. With a home office, you also can’t discuss suspicious messages with colleagues and have to do the assessments yourself.

– Scammers adapt a message to the new norm. We see that it is a fairly advanced fraud, he says.

Scammers often play with problems in the time that we are, for example, that you are isolated and need help. Additionally, there have been a number of bogus advertisements, as well as celebrity misuse and spreading of false information, he claims. Some scammers have also gambled on the stock market crash.

However, today there are more phishing scams. Scammers send text messages indicating that your BankID is blocked and follow up with phone calls where they refer to the text message and have you enter passwords related to your online bank. This, in turn, will cause you to lose money.

Three things to keep in mind

Fjeldvær at DNB and Grav at Danske Bank highlight a total of three things that you should pay special attention to:

1. Investment fraud

– No need to print all lure titles on non-editorial topics that are shared on social media. Keep these cases in mind because the sender would like you to go ahead, relying on false information, and make you reveal confidential information, says Fjeldvær at DNB.

Investment fraud is one of the scams you can be exposed to. Grave at Danske Bank says they see there is a lot of investment fraud going on in Norway now during the corona pandemic.

– Many people want to invest in cryptocurrencies, and especially in bitcoins. There are lots of fake ads and articles online, often shared via Facebook, that make you invest a small amount, he says.

Like Fjeldvær, Grav also points out that celebrities are often used in these fake stories. Scammers will make you invest in the same thing that celebrities have done in some way.

– They want you to invest 250 euros through a fake investment portal, where you are happy to approve the payment with BankID. This is such a small amount that people wait a while before trying to get their money back, as they in good faith expect a refund before realizing they have been scammed, explains Grav.

It is also often called after the first investment, and scammers will make you invest more. There is an increase in these types of cases right now, especially now that interest rates are low and the stock market is uncertain.

– People are looking for better returns and are looking for other opportunities, Grav says, saying that it is generally customers over 50 who are most often misled by scammers.

– I would recommend that you ask someone who has made investments on their own, and perhaps has more experience and references in this regard than you, if you are considering investing. Then you can better protect yourself, rather than risk investing in fraud, Grav says.

Also read: Sparebank 1 warns against major fraud

2. Exceptional Norway Post shipping

Another type of fraud that Danske Bank currently sees are phishing scams in which its customers are tricked into providing card information after receiving an email from Norway Post.

– During the crown crisis, people buy more online and many expect more packages, we also become more vulnerable to this type of fraud, explains Grav.

She explains that she may receive an email from what is apparently Posten Norge, where she says she has an outstanding amount to ship a package that she has ordered. You will be asked to pay an amount of 20 crowns.

– Once you have entered your card information and proceeded to confirm the payment by SMS or BankID, the amount changes. The amount is usually 10,000 to 30,000 crowns, Grav says.

– It is very scary, because many do not verify that the amount is correct until they confirm the payment. Instead of charging 20 crowns, they lose many thousands of crowns, he notes.

3. Request for private information

Grav encourages you to contact the bank for guidance if you are unsure of a payment or an email you receive.

There are more ways to get scammed than the two points mentioned. Many people are scammed by providing private / confidential information that scammers can exploit in various ways.

– If you receive an email or SMS, you should consider what information is requested. Do not provide card or BankID information. A simple check is to ask yourself if this is a message you expect. If not, be critical, says Fjeldvær.

If you’ve been so unlucky and given information that you shouldn’t share anymore, call the bank immediately, cheer on both Fjeldvær and Grav.

– Then we can block both the cards and the BankID, and we can prevent further misuse, says Fjeldvær.

– Remember also that no one knows your BankID passwords on mobile. Not BankID, the bank or others. If someone calls and reads the words they see on their phone, they are a scammer. So hang up, take aim.

This is how you are selected

But how exactly are YOU selected by scammers? Is it a coincidence or did the scammers plan to trick you?

– We believe that scammers search the Brønnøysund registry and observe the changes in various companies. For example, if a new board chairman has arrived, they are directed to him, because they think he would like to have access to the company’s account, says Fjeldvær at DNB.

It encourages you to be more attentive and careful.

– Be critical of information in text messages or emails. Instead, call the customer service center to find out what the sender appears to be and get clarification before providing information, he says.

Also read: Authorities fight against fake text messages

This weekend, DNB also issued a warning that customers are on trial for fraud via an email listing the main bank as the sender and informing customers that the accounts / cards have been deactivated. To gain access again, they need to click a link and log into the account, it says.

Home office increases risk

Eight percent of all people between the ages of 15 and 74 said in July that they had been exposed to financial fraud in the past year, NTB wrote in September.

NorSIS conducted the survey and it showed that more than 300,000 people have been defrauded in a way that had financial consequences. In the age group 15 to 34 years, the proportion of people who have acquired such experience in buying animals in the last year is even higher: up to 15 percent.

The home office increases the risk of being cheated, which Fjeldvær also points out.

Many people feel alone without a social network or IT employee, someone who can contribute a reality check, for example, if a somewhat suspicious email appears, where the sender’s logo may not look as it usually is, or the wording stuns him. .

It is not only individuals who are exposed. Businesses are also at risk of fraud attempts and therefore NorSIS believes that security courses are relevant. 64 percent more employees in the Norwegian business community have requested the National Security Month information security training package this year compared to last year, NTB reported.

With corporate teams deployed to home offices, the highest threshold for people to respond to strange inquiries, and no one to consult, NorSIS believes this year’s security course is very important and wants more to participate. people.