Norwegian police investigate large-scale fraud linked to call center in Finland

Norwegian police are investigating a large-scale fraud case potentially linked to a “call center” operating in Finland that is suspected of scamming elderly Norwegians. The major Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang (VG) reported that the police are collaborating with authorities in Finland and Denmark through the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust). The specifics of Denmark’s involvement in the investigation have not been detailed by VG.

As part of the investigation, 25 arrests have been made in both Finland and Norway. According to VG, three individuals were arrested in Finland back in March, followed by another 17 arrests in June, with at least some of the detainees being Norwegian citizens. The prosecutor interviewed by VG did not disclose whether the arrested individuals are still in police custody.

The fraudsters allegedly posed as police officers or bank employees when they called elderly Norwegians, claiming that the victims had fallen prey to “hacking.” They offered to move the victims’ funds “to safety” if the victims provided their banking credentials. When the victims shared these details, their bank accounts were emptied, reportedly transferring funds to accounts controlled by the scammers.

Norwegian police have not yet determined how many victims were affected by this suspected fraud ring. Earlier this year, Finnish police estimated that fraud calls could have led to losses of approximately one million euros (about 11 million Norwegian kroner) at the hands of the scammers. Among those arrested are reportedly young men in their twenties; last Wednesday, four such individuals were taken into custody and charged with serious fraud at Oslo District Court.