– There are many vulnerable victims. This shakes the confidence in our banking system, and has a large social cost, says police lawyer Yvonne Schilling. This week, the trial began against one of the masterminds in a fraud network that has defrauded almost a hundred elderly women of many millions of kroner. – It is very serious, says Schilling. Four other men in the network have already been sentenced to prison sentences of up to five years. Police prosecutor Yvonne Schilling is the prosecutor in the criminal case against what is said to be one of the masterminds of an organized criminal fraud network. Photo: Benjamin Vorland Andersrød / news 23,000 frauds last year A new report from Økokrim shows that this type of crime is constantly increasing in scope. Last year alone, 23,000 frauds were reported in Norway. – The actors can be very cynical and, among other things, deliberately deceive older people who may have low technological competence, writes Økokrim. In the last ten years, the number of fraud reports has increased by 60 per cent. At the same time, only 15 percent of the cases are resolved. – The police have too little capacity and competence to handle this complex threat, writes Økokrim. Good advice against phone scammers Be skeptical when someone asks for your personal information Criminals come up with all sorts of stories to try to trick you into handing over money or personal information. They may pretend to be from the police, tax authorities, your bank or someone else you trust to try to steal your data or money. Never give out information to someone who contacts you without expecting it. Use strong passwords Passwords are the key to your digital life. Make sure the key is strong! Simple passwords are easy to guess. Don’t use words from your private life (your football team, your pet, your children’s name, etc.) and don’t share your passwords with anyone! Always use a separate password for e-mail. Report all fraud attempts to the police The police cannot stop crime we have no knowledge of taking place. Even if you haven’t lost money or data, you should report any attempts at fraud or cybercrime you are exposed to to the police. All contributions to the police investigation prevent the criminals and reduce the harmful effects of the crime. The reporting also contributes to the analysis of trends and the creation of information campaigns to protect the population and businesses. If in doubt: Hang up and call back. When changing the display number (spoofing) where the perpetrators call from a known telephone number to a bank, or from the police telephone number, this only works in outgoing calls. If you hang up and call back, you will get to the real bank or the real police. (Source: The police) Transferred millions to themselves The organized criminal network East police district revealed in 2020 used a fraud method that has been named “Olga fraud”. They used tax lists and searched for names that were popular in the 1940s. They then made direct contact with older women over the phone. By pretending to be bank employees, the criminal network gained access to the fraud victims’ social security numbers and BankID. Later, they logged into the elderly women’s online banks and transferred the money to themselves. The criminal network openly shared on social media how they went about deceiving elderly women. Photo: the police 500 million lost Økokrim believes that digital fraud is “a significant threat to society”. Last year alone, half a billion kroner was lost due to fraud in Norway. – If we do not overcome this problem, we believe that our trust society will suffer permanent damage, says Lone Charlotte Pettersen in Økokrim in a press release. She is department director for prevention and intelligence. Department director for prevention and intelligence in Økokrim Lone C. Pettersen. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB – Can be devastating Økokrim has mapped the organized networks that make a fortune from fraud. The survey shows that the networks are constantly using new methods to appear credible. During 2023, a separate fraud unit will be established in Økokrim, which will work across the police districts. Økokrim also recommends that the authorities draw up an action plan against digital fraud. – If we do not tackle this threat, the consequences can be devastating for our social structure, economy and democratic processes, says Pettersen.
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Norwegians were defrauded of half a billion in 2022 – news Oslo and Viken – Local news, TV and radio
