Fraudulent messages are once again circulating in the name of Traficom and Suomi.fi Messages. Do not open any links or provide your personal information.
Scam messages use the names of public authorities
The messages claim that the recipient has received a letter related to taxation in Suomi.fi Messages. The sender is shown as “Liikenne- ja viestintävirasto Traficom, Verotus”, the taxation unit at Traficom. The message contains a link that leads to a fake website.
The scam message appears genuine, as it uses the names of public authorities and the layout of Suomi.fi Messages. For example, the message says that the recipient has received a letter related to taxation in Suomi.fi Messages (“Sinulle on saapunut verotukseen liittyvä kirje Suomi.fi-viesteihin”) and includes a login button (“Kirjaudu sisään”). However, the link does not lead to the genuine Suomi.fi service, but to a fraudulent website designed to collect users’ information.
Messages are not sent by Traficom or Suomi.fi Messages
Traficom and Suomi.fi Messages do not send messages containing links via WhatsApp or text message. When a person receives a new message in Suomi.fi Messages, they are notified by email. However, these email notifications never contain a link that asks the recipient to click or log in.
Official messages from public authorities can always be accessed only by logging in personally at www.suomi.fi/messages (External link).
What the scams aim to achieve
The fraudulent websites are designed to steal online banking credentials for all Finnish banks. Criminals try to exploit the recipient’s urge to find out quickly what’s going on, prompting them to click a link where they are asked to enter their online banking credentials.
By clicking the link in a text message or email, the user is often taken to a fake banking website that looks authentic, making the fraud difficult to detect. It is important to remember that you should always log in to an authority’s service directly through its official website, never through a link in an email or text message.
Every year, online criminals carry out scams worth tens of millions of euros. The National Cyber Security Centre Finland (NCSC-FI) has repeatedly issued warnings about fraudulent messages sent in the name of various organisations, including Traficom.
What to do
- Do not open the link in the message and do not provide any information.
- Delete the message from your email.
If you have clicked the link and entered any information, change your password immediately and follow the security instructions provided by your bank and other services you use.