“I did not confirm the payment. I contacted the seller who said there was an error and I should retry the payment. Then I got a call from the bank. The employee informed me that they blocked the transfer because the money would be sent to Ghana,” says Karolina from Vilnius about her encounter with online fraudsters.
This is just one of many stories. Fortunately, the illegal banking transaction was noticed by a financial institution and the girl’s funds were protected. Unfortunately, this does not always happen.
According to the data of the Department of Informatics and Communications under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, in 2023, 3,999 criminal acts related to fraud were registered in police institutions, and in 8 months of this year, 3,220 cases of fraud were registered, as a result of which pre-trial investigations were initiated.
Who is at risk?
Although the perception is that the elderly are the victims of scams, in recent years more and more young and tech-savvy people have been exposed to online scams.
Today’s fraudsters exploit social networking platforms, email, classifieds sites, and even messaging apps to gain access to people’s personal information or financial resources. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the fraudsters’ methods of operation and to take measures to protect yourself from them.
How do modern scams work?
Perhaps one of the most common types of fraud is phishing, when fraudsters send e-mails or messages pretending to be well-known companies, such as banks, social networking platforms or e-shops.
“I remember how early in the morning I received a copyright infringement message from Instagram. copyrights violation). Since I was sure that I could not harm anything, I decided to return to this matter later. In the afternoon, strange letters began to arrive in the e-mail, one after another. There were so many of them that I don’t remember if I accidentally clicked on something. I later noticed that I could no longer log into my account.
The other day I received a letter that was titled “I have your Instagram”.I have your Instagram“). Scammers asked for money to return the account. Since I was not an opinion maker, I did not use it for business and I had about 1000 followers, I decided not to pay the criminals. I had to create the account anew”, says Indrė, who works as a manager, about the lost social network profile.
Another common type of fraud is fake online stores. Buyers who believe fraudulent offers transfer money, but do not receive the ordered goods.
Investment scams are also popular. Scammers promise high returns to those who agree to invest in various platforms, cryptocurrencies or other schemes. Unfortunately, this is how they only try to cheat you out of money.
What to do if you are a victim of fraud?
If you’ve fallen victim to a scam, it’s important to act quickly. First contact your bank or payment service provider. Block payments and stop access to accounts.
The next step is to report the fraud case to law enforcement authorities or the State Data Protection Inspectorate.
“Residents who come across scammers should immediately report it to the police by calling 112 or submitting a report on the website epolicija.lt. This will help identify criminals more efficiently and quickly,” says Miglė Sokolnikaitė, chief specialist of the Lithuanian Criminal Police Office.
If your financial information has been compromised, monitor your accounts and take all necessary steps to prevent further fraud.
How to protect yourself from online scammers?
The best protection is prevention. Protecting yourself from scammers on the Internet is not easy, but the Lithuanian Police shares some important rules that can help reduce the risk.
“Don’t make snap decisions. Do not pay in cash and do not transfer money to the specified bank accounts. Law enforcement officers, employees of banks and other institutions do not have the right and never ask to provide personal data, bank cards, generators, electronic banking login codes, passwords and other sensitive information over the phone,” police representatives emphasize.
Do not respond to suspicious messages and calls. Please exercise extreme caution and review any payment requests received by email or other electronic channels.
Pay attention to grammatical errors in the letter. Fraudsters often impersonate legitimate company email addresses by swapping characters. For example, instead of “gmail”, the email address ends with “gamil” or similar. The beginning of the letter should also raise suspicions: “Dear. Sir/Madam, companies usually address their customers by first and last name. An electronic letter should arouse suspicion if it is asked to “confirm” something – such letters are often sent from forged addresses of the sender”, warns Miglė Sokolnikaitė, chief specialist of the Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau.
References received in electronic format should also be critically evaluated. Assess their authenticity. This can be done by hovering over the address, but not clicking on it. The link should not show the address of another website.
Protect yourself and your data. Do not share them with strangers, be wary of any attempts to extract them. Be alert and follow basic safety rules.
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### Interview with Miglė Sokolnikaitė, Chief Specialist of the Lithuanian Criminal Police Office
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Miglė. With the recent news of Latvia and Lithuania detaining over 100 individuals for a multi-million euro call center scam, how do you see the current state of online fraud in Lithuania?
**Miglė Sokolnikaitė:** Thank you for having me. The situation with online fraud is indeed concerning. In 2023, we’ve seen just under 4,000 reported cases of fraud in Lithuania. As our society becomes increasingly digital, fraudsters are getting more sophisticated in their methods, exploiting various online platforms to deceive victims.
**Interviewer:** It seems that younger people are also becoming targets, contrary to the stereotype that older individuals are the main victims. Why do you think that is?
**Miglė Sokolnikaitė:** Yes, that’s correct. Young, tech-savvy individuals often assume they are immune to scams, which can make them more vulnerable. Scammers use social media, emails, and messaging apps to reach a wider audience. It’s crucial for everyone, regardless of age, to stay informed about the tactics used by these criminals.
**Interviewer:** Speaking of tactics, can you explain some of the common methods used in online scams today?
**Miglė Sokolnikaitė:** Certainly. Phishing is one of the most prevalent methods, where scammers impersonate well-known organizations—like banks—through emails or messages. Fake online stores are also common; victims believe they are making legitimate purchases but receive nothing in return. And there are investment scams, where fraudsters promise high returns on seemingly foolproof investments, only to vanish after collecting funds.
**Interviewer:** If someone realizes they’ve been scammed, what immediate steps should they take?
**Miglė Sokolnikaitė:** The first action should be to contact their bank or payment provider to block any potential transactions. After that, it’s important to report the incident to law enforcement, either by calling 112 or using the online platform e-policija.lt. This helps us track and apprehend the criminals more efficiently.
**Interviewer:** What preventive measures would you recommend to individuals to protect themselves against online scams?
**Miglė Sokolnikaitė:** Education is key. Always be cautious; don’t rush into decisions, especially regarding money. Never provide personal or financial information over the phone unless you’re sure of who you’re dealing with. Ignore unsolicited messages that seem suspicious, and always verify the legitimacy of any offers or requests you receive.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Miglė. Your insights are incredibly valuable as we navigate this challenging landscape of online fraud.
**Miglė Sokolnikaitė:** Thank you for highlighting this important issue. We all have a role to play in keeping our community safe from fraud.