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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [CRIME]

2 clusters · 3 sources · 19 days · First seen · Last updated

Online fraud and predatory lending in Sweden

Overview

Swedish authorities have issued warnings regarding various forms of online fraud and predatory financial schemes. Initially, police highlighted a trend of predatory lending occurring within hidden Facebook groups. In these cases, economically vulnerable individuals are targeted with extreme interest rates—sometimes exceeding 500 percent—and face threats of public shaming from anonymous collectors.

Subsequent reports indicate a broader rise in online scams, including fraudulent advertisements on platforms like Facebook Marketplace. Specifically, scammers are using fake firewood advertisements to solicit advance payments for goods that are never delivered. Police have also noted that some of these fraudulent activities, particularly those involving suspicious fund transfers, may be linked to larger money laundering operations. Authorities estimate that fraud-related criminal profits in Sweden could reach approximately 5.7 billion SEK in 2025.

Entities

Swedish Police · National IT Crime Centre · Facebook · Sveriges Radio · SVT

Timeline

  1. 7 days ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Sweden police warn of rising online fraud and firewood scams

    Swedish police are warning against rising online fraud, including fake firewood advertisements and money laundering schemes targeting private buyers.

  2. 25 days ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Swedish police warn of predatory lending on Facebook

    Swedish police warn of rising criminal activity in Facebook lending groups, where vulnerable individuals face interest rates exceeding 500 percent and threats from anonymous collectors.

Sources

dagensps.se · skaraborgsnyheter.se · tv4.se