Citadele warns of WhatsApp scams impersonating bank staff

Citadele bank has issued a warning regarding an increase in fraudulent activity involving fake WhatsApp profiles. Scammers are impersonating bank employees, including managers and security personnel, to deceive customers.

These criminals use the identities of trusted individuals to attempt to obtain confidential information or authorize unauthorized transactions. Līga Everte, head of Citadele’s fraud prevention department, clarified that bank employees do not use WhatsApp to discuss banking services, request access data, PIN codes, Smart-ID, or internet banking credentials, nor do they ask customers to confirm payments via the app.

To protect themselves, customers are advised not to respond to suspicious messages from unknown numbers and to verify any communication through official, trusted contact channels. If a suspicious message is received, users should report and block the account and notify the bank.