My latest meeting with Danniella (fictional name to protect the person’s integrity), a 59-year-old retired nurse, remains vividly etched in my memory. After she had to go into early retirement due to a car accident, she has always looked optimistically toward the future. We usually meet at the library to read and share our opinions with each other. I recently visited her because I was concerned about her long absence from the book club. We sat in her light green kitchen, filled with the friendly aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
“We miss you at our book club”, I say.
“What’s the point of reading books if I continue to behave so foolishly?” she replies. After a moment of silence, she begins to narrate what happened to her lately.
One day, she received a text message claiming that she had made a purchase from IKEA and that her account had already been debited. Confused and panicked, she called the number provided at once only to reach a scammer who posed as a company representative. “I didn’t order a double bed; I didn’t order anything at all from IKEA,” she says, her voice trembling with emotion. The scammer, whom she believed to be an IKEA employee, said that he suspected her digital identity had been stolen by someone who had made the purchase in her name. He said that it was a common problem and he would connect her directly to her bank to resolve the issue, but in reality, he connected her to his accomplice, who pretended to be from the bank.
“I’m so stupid”, Danniella pauses, her eyes fixed on the window where trees bend gracefully in the breeze. “The bank claims I authenticated myself digitally, and that each transaction which went directly into the fraudsters’ account, appeared normal and correct,” she says, her voice thick with resignation. “Of course, it is my fault. I carefully followed all the scammer instructions because I thought he was a very helpful bankman. Gosh, how sincerely I thanked him, I thought he would save both me and my money; he seemed trustworthy, full of patience, and had a good work ethic,” she continues. It is clear that feelings of betrayal and loss are still very much alive for her.
“I lost my money, and I don’t know what to do or what to say to my children and grandchildren. They will think that their mom has been stupid and foolish, which I apparently am.”
Unfortunately, Danniella is not alone. The majority of online fraud victims blame themselves and do not have the courage to inform anybody or report it to the police. They feel they should have been more vigilant, that they should have seen the warning signs. According to the Swedish Police Authority’s situation report (January – June 2024), the number of reported fraud offenses is 111,782, of which 14,325 concerned vishing, which is the type of fraud crime that Daniella was a victim of.
These crimes have long-term consequences at both the individual and societal levels. Beyond economic losses, they can lead to significant psychological distress and undermine the democratic principles of trust and openness. Addressing the complexity of fraud crimes necessitates a range of efforts and a collaborative approach among authorities, businesses, banks, and civil society to craft effective strategies against fraud. Moreover, the implementation of technological solutions, including improved identification and verification processes for users, is essential to deter scammers from preying on their victims. Furthermore, educational initiatives should reach out to both the young and the old, fostering awareness of the risks that accompany digital communication. Schools play a crucial role; critical thinking, media literacy, and digital competence are essential tools in the fight against misinformation to protect people from identity theft and cybercrimes
We, within the police, have a significant responsibility to act efficiently, especially when identifying new modus operandi. We must be allowed to use sophisticated equipment to trace and disrupt crimes quickly. Global coordination of police services needs to be strengthened and expanded to enable us to try out new methods and work with other law enforcement agencies to prosecute criminals who increasingly operate abroad and establish international criminal networks.
I am fairly certain that you have been affected by fraud in some way, whether personally or through a relative, family member, or friend who has fallen victim to such crimes, like Daniella. In a world where we increasingly rely on digital communication and transactions, it is important to stand united against these threats and support the victims of crime. Hopefully, we can help Danniella reconnect with her reading friends and find joy in the small things. May she heal her invisible wounds, regain trust, and understand that she was a victim of a crime, and that the shame should lie with the perpetrator.
This article is written by Galaxia Wallin, working at the Swedish Police Authority member of EITHOS consortium. The Swedish police, through crime prevention, work to combat online fraud and organized crime, ensuring a safer and stronger community for all citizens.