Bulgarian bank customers targeted by new wave of financial scams

A new wave of sophisticated financial scams is targeting bank customers in Bulgaria. Fraudsters are impersonating bank employees through phone calls and messaging apps such as Viber and WhatsApp to gain access to personal savings.

The scammers use psychological pressure, claiming that a user's bank card has been blocked or that there has been unauthorized access to their online banking. They often avoid providing specific account details, instead relying on creating panic to trick victims into following instructions on their screens or pressing specific buttons.

In addition to direct impersonation, there is an increase in social media scams. These involve attackers posing as individuals in distress, romantic interests, or offering high-profit investment opportunities to solicit urgent money transfers for medical expenses, shipping fees, or investment funds. Financial institutions, including UniCredit Bulbank, have issued warnings that legitimate bank employees will never ask for PINs, online banking passwords, or one-time confirmation codes.