Typically, a scam message may ask you to send your personal information or documents to the address provided in the message. Information collected through such messages is likely to end up in the hands of criminals
You may encounter scams in emails, social media, or search engines like Google or Bing. Criminals may also try to contact you via text messages, phone calls or WhatsApp messages. The content and appearance of scam and phishing messages vary greatly, but it is important to remember that Kanta services will never ask you to provide personal information via email or text message.
“To ensure your own safety online, it is important that sensitive information, such as your social security number, is never sent by text message or email,” says Jouni IhanusDirector of Kela’s Technical Situation Information Center.
Always log in to the My Kanta pages via kanta.fi website
In addition to personal information, Phishing messages can try to get hold of your online banking credentials. The message may ask you to open attachments or log in to the Omat Kanta pages via the link in the message. When a victim enters their online banking ID on a fake website, criminals gain access to the victim’s online banking and can steal money from the victim’s account.
Never log in to the My Kanta pages via a link in an e-mail or text message or in the search results. The only way to ensure that you are securely logged into the service is to log in directly from the website kanta.fi.
“New scams are constantly appearing, so just looking for suspicious messages is not enough. It is important that you only log in to the services you use through the official websites of each organization,” advises Jouni Ihanus.
Ihanus also points out that websites set up by criminals can look very similar to official websites maintained by Kela, Kanta services or other official organizations. Today, scam websites and messages can be written fluently in Finnish.
If you suspect that you have fallen victim to a scam, you should also notify the Cybersecurity Center and the organization in whose name the phishing messages were sent.
“Even if you can’t change what happened to you, you can help prevent others from falling for the same scam if you report it and warn others,” Ihanus points out.
What to do if you are the target of a phishing attack
If you have landed on a suspicious site or received a message asking you to provide personal information or log in somewhere, do the following:
- Do not reply to the message or enter any information on the website.
- Do not click on any links in the message or on the site and do not forward any information.
- If you encountered a suspicious site or message claiming to represent Kela or Omat Kanta pages, report it to Kela.
- If you suspect that your online banking credentials have been used without permission, contact your bank immediately and then file a criminal report with the police.
- If you suspect that your personal data has been leaked, see the instructions on the Suomi.fi website (suomi.fi) (opens in a new window)
- Report the incident to Kybertalvalliskeskus.fi (opens in a new window)
- Also visit the data breach support website (tietovuotoapu.fi) (opens in a new window)
- Warn your friends and family about the scam.
HT
Source: Kela
Source: The Nordic Page