June 27, 11:27, Fraud, Jönköping

At least eight people in Jönköping have been targeted by scam attempts on Friday evening, where the scammer poses as someone's child who has been involved in an accident, and therefore needs money for a new mobile phone. 

Most of those affected are women. In seven of the cases, reports of attempts to commit fraud have been made, as the affected individuals did not lose any money.

In one case, where a man in his 80s received an SMS with the opening "Hej pappa…", the man was scammed for around 10,000 kronor.

This type of fraud is called phishing, also known as net fishing. Scammers "fish" in different ways for your information.

The method is that so-called SMS children, also known as "Hej mamma, Hej pappa" SMS, make contact. They are scammers who, via an SMS, pose as your child or grandchild. The scammers say that they need quick financial help for various reasons, for example, to pay a bill that is about to expire, or money for a new mobile phone.

Tips and advice on how to protect yourself

• Be suspicious if you receive an email or SMS that prompts you to click on a link and enter sensitive information, such as codes and personal data. Never follow such instructions.
• Never disclose credit card information or personal data.
• Never agree to let someone remotely control your computer or phone.
• Call the person or ask control questions to ensure that the person is who they claim to be. Remember to ask control questions that cannot be easily found on the internet.
• Increase your knowledge of scams and how they work to recognize patterns and methods – your own knowledge is a resistance.