Scandinavian digital fraud and phishing escalation

Criminal networks in Scandinavia are employing increasingly sophisticated digital fraud tactics to target individuals and businesses across Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.

In Sweden, police have reported a rise in “vishing” (voice phishing) attacks against companies. These schemes often use fraudulent SMS messages regarding unpaid invoices to trick victims into providing access to corporate bank accounts. Stolen funds, sometimes totaling between 500,000 and 1 million SEK, are typically moved through multiple banks before being converted into cryptocurrency. Similarly, in Denmark, criminals have used SMS impersonation of parking companies to direct victims to fake websites designed to harvest credit card and personal data.

As these tactics evolve, authorities in Norway and Denmark have identified new methods targeting mobile payments. In Norway, scammers pose as service representatives to persuade victims into installing screen-sharing applications, allowing criminals to bypass security measures like BankID and drain accounts via Apple Pay. In Denmark, the Agency for Digital Government has warned of phishing emails targeting MobilePay users, which falsely claim that MitID connection is required to avoid transaction restrictions.