In a threat assessment published today, the Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Økokrim) and the police in the four other Nordic countries Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland present their recommendations for strengthening their joint efforts to combat online fraud.
The number and scale of reported online frauds in the Nordic countries is very high and rising. In light of this and the fraudsters' use of new and advanced technology, there is an urgent need for joint, coordinated efforts to meet this threat.
– Fraud is a global, not a national, problem. The Nordic countries are relatively similar, and we have therefore chosen to address these vulnerabilities together, says the Director of Økokrim Paul K. Lønseth.
In 2023, a Nordic cooperation forum was set up to combat fraud, and the Nordic countries have now produced a joint threat assessment for online fraud in the Nordics. The report identifies top five modus operandi. It also highlights vulnerabilities and implemented preventive measures in the respective countries and presents recommendations for how to better and more effectively meet the threats.
– Over the past few years, there has been a massive increase in online fraud in the Nordic countries, and we see that criminals operate across national borders. Close cooperation between authorities in the Nordic countries is therefore crucial to fighting these crimes, Lønseth says.
– In Økokrim's view, strengthening the Nordic cooperation to combat fraud is a natural prioritisation and a continuation of the effort that started with the creation of the anti-fraud unit at Økokrim, Lønseth goes on to say.
Driver for other organised crimes
Fraud is a 'profit machine' which finances other criminal activities and works as a driver for other kinds of serious and organised crime. Profit from fraud is invested in i.a. drugs and firearms. In 2023, nearly 260,000 cases of digital fraud were reported to the police in the Nordic countries, and the number of unreported crimes is believed to be high. In 2023 alone, criminals defrauded inhabitants of the Nordic countries of around EUR 828 million.
Many perpetrators committing online bank frauds have ties to organised criminal networks which operate across national borders in the Nordic countries.
More than just a threat to society as a whole, fraud also has a huge negative impact on the lives of individual victims. Every year, a significant number of individuals and companies in the Nordic countries fall victim to fraud. Some of them are deprived of their entire savings and struggle with strong feelings of shame and guilt for having let themselves be manipulated.
– Cooperation is key if we are to position ourselves in the best possible manner to fight digital fraud across the Nordic countries. We must uncover vulnerabilities and crime threats in the respective countries and strengthen the effort to combat and prevent crime by closing these vulnerabilities, Lønseth says.
Four recommendations
The report gives the following recommendations to combat fraud and strengthen the cooperation:
- Provide law enforcement with access to better technology and analytical tools.
- Amend legislation to facilitate the sharing of information between banks, the telecoms sector and the police.
- Improve automatic real-time monitoring at providers of online banking services and law enforcement agencies.
- Make major technology providers accountable in the fight against digital fraud.
Contact details:
Økokrim's media contact line: +47 23 29 10 30 (08:00–15:45)
kommunikasjon.okokrim@politiet.no