Scam calls – how to recognise a scam and what to do

This page explains how to recognise scam calls and what to do in different situations.

How to recognise a scam call

• You receive an unexpected call.
• The caller creates a sense of urgency or fear. 
• The caller asks for your online banking credentials, authentication codes or personal information.
• The caller asks you to install remote access software. 
• The caller demands a payment or money transfer. 
• You cannot rely on the phone number shown, as it may be spoofed. 

The most common types of scam calls

• technical support scams 
• banking scams 
• scams in which the caller impersonates a public authority (such as the police, Traficom or the Finnish Tax Administration) 
• scams carried out in the name of a telecommunications operator 
• follow-up scams related to deliveries or online shopping

What to do during a scam call

End the call

End the call immediately if you suspect a scam. You do not need to explain your decision to the caller.

Do not call back a number given to you by the scammer.

Do not install any software

Do not install remote access software at the request of an unknown caller. Do not accept any request that would give another person control of your device.

If you have already installed the software but have not yet granted access, close the software and remove it from your device.

Do not disclose any information

Do not give anyone the following information over the phone:

• online banking credentials 
• payment card details 
• passwords 
• codes you receive by text message or through an authentication app 
• your personal identity code or details from an identity document 

Do not show an identity document, payment card, invoice or other personal document to anyone through a webcam.

Do not log in to your online bank

Do not log in to your online bank or another important service if an unknown person has remote access to your device.

The scammer may be able to see your credentials, monitor what you are doing or make bank transfers without your knowledge.

What to do immediately if you gave a scammer access to your device

Disconnect from the internet

Disconnect your computer from the network or switch on aeroplane mode. This may cut off the scammer’s remote access.

Close the remote access software if you can do so safely.

Contact your bank

Contact your bank’s blocking service immediately if:

• you logged in to your online bank following the scammer’s instructions 
• you gave the scammer your online banking credentials or payment card details 
• you approved an authentication request 
• you noticed unfamiliar transactions on your account 

Ask your bank to block the necessary credentials and payment cards.

Change your passwords

Change your passwords using a secure device. Start with your email, online bank and other important services.

Use a different password for each service and enable multi-factor authentication.

Have your device checked

Remove the remote access software. Also check whether any other unfamiliar software has been installed on the device.

If you are not sure whether the device is secure, ask a trusted IT professional for help. In some cases, you may need to erase the device and reinstall the operating system.

File a police report

File a police report if you have lost money, your personal data has been misused or you suspect identity theft.

Keep any evidence you may have, such as:

• the caller’s phone number 
• the time of the call 
• messages and emails 
• payment receipts 
• the name of the remote access software 
• instructions and website addresses provided by the scammer

What information are scammers trying to obtain?

Online banking credentials and authentication codes

A scammer may ask you to log in to your online bank or give them an authentication code. If they have remote access to your device, they may be able to monitor what you are doing and make bank transfers.

Never give your online banking credentials or authentication codes over the phone. Banks and public authorities do not ask for them by phone.

Personal data and identity documents

A scammer may ask you to show an identity document, payment card or invoice to the camera. They may use the information for identity theft, opening user accounts or making purchases.

Do not show documents to anyone through a webcam and do not send images of them to an unknown person.

Payment card details

A scammer may ask for your credit card details over the phone or direct you to an online form that looks like the website of a well-known company.

Do not read out your card details over the phone or enter them on a website you were directed to during the call.

Payments and gift cards

A scammer may ask you to pay for technical support, security software or device repairs. They may ask you to pay by card, bank transfer, cryptocurrency or gift cards.

Do not pay. A legitimate organisation will not unexpectedly ask you to pay for support using gift cards or cryptocurrency during a phone call.

Remote access to your device 

A scammer may ask you to open Windows Event Viewer, Command Prompt or another system tool. They may then claim that normal error and warning messages prove that your device is infected.

System logs normally contain errors and warnings even on a device that is working properly. They do not prove that the caller knows the condition of your device or has access to it.

A scammer may also ask you to enter commands and deliberately misrepresent what the results mean.

Can you identify a scammer by their phone number?

A scam call may come from a number that appears to be Finnish or foreign. The number may be:

• spoofed 
• the number of a compromised phone subscription 
• the number of an ordinary person or company 
• a Finnish area code 
• a foreign number

The number shown on your screen therefore does not prove who the caller is.

If an organisation claims to have contacted you, end the call and find the organisation’s official phone number yourself. Call the number using another phone or wait a while before calling back.

Report the scam

Report the incident to the NCSC-FI if you have received a technical support scam call or fallen victim to a scam.

If possible, include the following information in your report:

• the time of the call 
• the number used by the caller 
• the language spoken by the caller 
• the organisation the caller claimed to represent 
• any software you were asked to install 
• any information or payments you were asked to provide 
• whether the scam caused financial loss