Ilkka Tuominen, Finland DNA’s fraud prevention manager, points out the change: There are more and more message scams and they are increasingly difficult to identify. The development of technology has brought fraudsters new means, for which it is important to know how to prepare and identify potential threats. Tuominen lists 5 ways to protect yourself against scams. new phone scams

According to Tuominen, the style of scams has changed strongly in the last ten years. The language has improved and the recognizability of scams has decreased. E-mail models with bad Finnish that travel around the world have quickly moved to software robotics, and the popular language models that are generally available also help fraudsters.

“Scams are being perpetrated more and more specifically through messages. In the last two years, the number of scam calls has decreased, but the proportion of scam messages has grown exponentially. The number of scams as a whole has also increased, but traditional scams targeting telecommunications companies have decreased. Instead, fake calls and messages are now targeted directly by the operator to customers“, Tuominen states.

The fraud prevention manager emphasizes that today’s scams have a strong personality.

“These days, our phone works as a personal doorbell, and even criminals know this. Scams have become more and more personalized. Calls and messages are very personal and the contact person is perceived as closer. Personal scams are the newest approach. Messages from a scammer pretending to be a close relative can come as text messages and ask them to contact, for example, someone through a social media channel.”

Fraudsters have also moved more and more to carry out their frauds using the names of well-known brands and the trust they have built.

“Large companies have the trust built up through proper business practices, which the fraudster takes advantage of. A good example of this is the scams made in the name of package suppliers after online shopping has become more common. Since we all warn about scams, the scammers also warn about scams under the brands of banks,” Tuominen illustrates.

The coming autumn will bring relief new phone scams

However, Tuominen is comforted by the fact that the reliability of Finnish numbers will improve in the fall when the use of mobile phone numbers will be restricted for calls from abroad. With the new rules, it is easier than before for the operator to identify incoming calls with a fake number and block them.

“For example, DNA prevents more than 5 million scam calls every year. The operator acts as a communication intermediary, which tries to clean up the call and message flow. When scams are eliminated from one route, the scammers look for a new one. However, the scams have been so profitable that, unfortunately, they cannot be eliminated anymore . We can’t prevent all scam calls, but we do our part to act in such a way that Finnish phone users are not the easiest targets.”

5 ways to Protect Yourself from scams new phone scams

1. Do not give your passwords or bank credentials to anyone. They are your private affairs.
2. Always consider links in messages for a moment before clicking on them. You should always be especially careful with bank credentials. If the message is real, you will find the same information in your online bank. Whether it’s a bank or another operator whose services you use, it doesn’t need your password or credentials. They handle your case in their customer service systems.
3. When you receive a message from an unknown number, which says that it is a person you know, sending a message from a new number, always call or leave a message with the old contact information. The old number doesn’t even connect if it’s really a changed number.
4. Do not agree to requests for money. Be especially careful in those cases where you have been asked for money. Read the instructions given by the banks and follow them.
5. If the call feels pressured, end the call without apologizing.

Here are some additional tips to protect yourself from scams:

• Be wary of any unsolicited emails or text messages that ask for personal information, such as your Social Security number or bank account information.
• Do not click on links in emails or text messages from senders you do not recognize.
• Use a strong password for your online accounts and change it regularly.
• Be careful about what information you share on social media. Scammers can use this information to target you with scams.
• If you think you have been a victim of a scam, report it to the authorities immediately.