SMS scams ensnare hundreds of Faroe Islanders

Hundreds of people in the Faroe Islands may have given away unauthorised information in an extensive wave of SMS scams over the past six months, Kringvarp Føroya reported. Turið F. Arge, chairwoman of the Association of Financial Institutions, said the attacks are more widespread than in previous years.

“Many more people are falling into the trap. We estimate that several hundred people in the Faroe Islands have disclosed information they should not have,” Arge said.

The Association of Financial Institutions, the Faroe Islands Police and Talgildu Føroyar have urged people to be cautious and follow their advice.

They advise people not to click links in SMS messages or provide personal information. Recipients should consider whether they were expecting a message from the sender and should not automatically trust the name or telephone number shown, as these can be falsified.

Anyone who is uncertain should contact their financial institution or the relevant authority. People who have clicked a link and provided personal information should contact their financial institution immediately. Payment cards can be blocked through online banking if the incident occurs outside office hours or during the weekend.