[REVISION HISTORY]

Polish fraud alerts: seniors, phishing, smishing & scams

Updated 11 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-12 08:28 UTC → 2026-08-31 22:13 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Since mid‑May ~~2026~~ 2026, Poland has faced a wave of fraud targeting seniors and the wider public, shifting from phone‑scams and smishing to impersonation and investment schemes. Early warnings noted vishing calls, fake rental ~~offers~~ offers, and a remote‑desktop scam. June alerts added bank‑staff impersonation in Tatra County, OLX‑sale ~~fraud~~ fraud, and large losses in Rzeszów and Zgorzelec, while a smishing surge in Świętokrzyskie caused a four‑million‑zł loss and an eight‑year prison term. July updates showed smishing messages mimicking banks, utilities, ~~ZUS~~ ZUS, and tax offices; fake broker ads and police‑impersonation scams cost victims up to ~~210 000~~ 210,000 zł; InPost‑branded phishing SMSes targeted parcel recipients; a senior in Zielona Góra was stopped from sending ~~20 000~~ 20,000 zł; a 75‑year‑old in Opole lost ~~91 000~~ 91,000 zł to a “daughter” impersonation; and PGE‑related over‑payment phishing and BLIK scams claimed over ~~100 000~~ 100,000 zł. CERT Poland warned of phishing emails posing as police or couriers, and a wave of WhatsApp hijack attacks used QR‑code tricks for fake contests. Senior‑focused investment fraud continued, with rings in Brzesko, ~~Maków~~ Maków, and Cieszyn extracting more than ~~200 000~~ 200,000 zł. ~~Authorities advise hanging up on unsolicited calls, never sharing passwords or BLIK codes, verifying requests through official channels and reporting incidents.~~ In early August, WhatsApp hijack attacks compromised accounts of high‑profile officials; CERT Polska urged users to disconnect unknown devices and report via incydent.cert.pl or the mObywatel app. Police dismantled senior‑targeted fraud rings in Brzesko, Maków, ~~Trzebizacja~~ Trzebizacja, and Cieszyn, arresting eight suspects and recovering over ~~300 000~~ 300,000 zł. Late July, a 20‑year‑old was arrested after a Bielsko‑Biała investment scam duped a 59‑year‑old woman out of more than ~~77 000~~ 77,000 zł. In early August, two suspects (21 and 26) were detained after a 64‑year‑old in Policki County lost nearly ~~175 000~~ 175,000 zł to a fake investment‑firm employee. In late August, the “grandchild scam” persisted through emotional manipulation. In Łomża, an 89‑year‑old woman was prevented from delivering 4,000 USD in cash to a supposed granddaughter after a ride‑hailing driver intervened.

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