Scammers target parents in Ostrobothnia with fake child protection alerts to steal banking credentials

A wave of fraudulent emails claiming to be child protection notifications has spread across Ostrobothnia, with scammers attempting to trick parents into handing over their online banking credentials, Yle reports.

The Ostrobothnia Wellbeing Services County has issued a warning after multiple residents received messages falsely stating that a child protection report had been filed concerning their child. Recipients were instructed to log in to a service using their banking details.

Authorities emphasized they never conduct official business via email. Sanna Hakola, lead social worker for child and family services, confirmed that legitimate contact is always made by phone first. If unreachable, a text message is sent—identifying the caller by name, phone number, and affiliation—requesting a callback.

“We never send emails, ask for banking credentials, or include clickable links,” Hakola stated.

John Nordman, the region’s cybersecurity specialist, urged caution with unsolicited messages. “Links in such emails are highly dangerous,” he warned, advising residents to manually enter trusted URLs rather than clicking embedded links. Suspicious messages should be ignored entirely—no links opened, no personal data entered.

Victims who have already shared banking details or made payments based on the scam should immediately contact their bank, file a police report, and notify the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) of the data breach.