Moldova warns of rising phone and digital banking scams targeting citizens

Officials in Moldova reported a surge in fraud attempts where criminals impersonate bank or postal employees to extract SMS codes, personal data, or money. University Technical of Moldova prorector Dinu Țurcanu warned that scammers create panic, especially among elderly or digitally less‑savvy people, and then obtain secret codes sent by SMS to access banking apps. He stressed that “no institution has the right to ask for secret codes” and advised victims to hang up on suspicious calls.

The national postal service, Poșta Moldovei, issued a similar alert, saying fraudsters use the service’s branding and claim a parcel or letter is awaiting delivery, demanding payment, personal details or SMS codes. The carrier emphasized that it never asks for such information through phone, SMS, email, social media or websites, and urged citizens to verify any request and contact emergency services if they suspect a scam.

Authorities recommend verifying sources, refusing to share personal or banking data, and reporting incidents. They note that most data used by criminals is gathered from public sources, not from institutional leaks.