Criminals increasingly make scam calls where they impersonate employees of the bank, authority or another reliable company. In the phone calls, criminals tell, for example, that your details have been used to apply for credit and you should confirm the request for cancellation by revealing the number series in your key code list or the SMS you have received from OP.
In the phone calls, you are urged to urgently transfer your money to a "secure account". In reality, the money ends up in the hands of criminals, as banks and authorities do not have secure accounts.
Scammers try to exploit a sense of urgency and financial risk
Scammers will try to create a sense of panic and urgency by claiming that your money is at risk in some way. This can cloud your judgement and make you vulnerable to being scammed. Remember the following tips about safe use of banking services:
- Stay calm and think about the caller’s possible intentions, even in unexpected situations that seem urgent.
- No banking matter is so urgent that, if you feel uncomfortable or suspicious, you won’t have time to end the call and then call the bank’s Customer Service number.
- Banks never use a so-called ”safe account”, to which money at risk can be moved. Only criminals use this method, when trying to get victims to move their money into the criminal’s account.
Here’s how to make sure that you are truly speaking to a bank’s customer service representatives
- Remember that your bank would never ask you to reveal your username and password over the phone.
- Check the correct Customer Service number from your bank’s homepage.
- If you use the OP-mobile application, you can request confirmation of call details during the phone call. Read the instructions on confirming call details
If you suspect that you have been a victim of fraud
If you need help with assessing a doubtful situation or suspect that you have been a victim of fraud, call our Customer Service on 0100 0500 (personal customers) or 0100 05151 (corporate customers). Our Customer Service is open on Mon–Fri, 8.00–16.00. Outside these times, call OP’s Deactivation Service on 0100 0555; this service is open 24/7. Be sure also to call Customer Service during service hours to report the incident.
This is how our messages differ from scam messages
The bank or authorities never make calls in which they ask customers to give their online user identifiers, make payments, or install an app on a device via a link sent by the caller.
We will never send you messages with a link to our online service’s login page. Nor will the bank ever ask you for your user identifiers or card details through messages. Such messages are scams – do not click on the links in the messages.
Even when receiving or cancelling a payment, you do not need to log in via a link, confirm with codes, or give your details. If you are asked to do this, call the bank's Customer Service phone number (after going to the bank’s website to verify the number for yourself).