Norway Blocks 8.4 Million Scams in a Single Quarter; New SMS Scams Continue to Emerge
Norway's Financial Supervisory Authority reported that actual bank fraud losses reached 1.227 billion Norwegian kroner (approximately NT$3.52 billion) in 2024, a 32% increase from 2023. The banking system intercepted potential losses of 2.964 billion kroner. New SMS scam methods, often impersonating local brands like AutoPass, are becoming more prevalent, originating mainly from the UK, Netherlands, and US. The Norwegian government extended the 'National Expert Group for Combating Digital Fraud' for two years, expanding its scope from phone to online fraud. This initiative has reduced bank fraud losses by 35% in the past six months, but scam techniques continue to evolve.
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- 📰 Published: April 10, 2026 at 16:54
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The latest annual statistics released by the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority (Finanstilsynet) this year show that actual bank fraud losses in 2024 reached 1.227 billion Norwegian kroner (approximately NT$3.52 billion), a 32% increase from 2023. During the same period, potential losses intercepted by the banking system amounted to 2.964 billion Norwegian kroner (approximately NT$8.5 billion). Although the amount intercepted was more than the amount lost, the undetected cases are still alarming.
Last year, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) published an in-depth investigation revealing a transnational scam network that communicated in Chinese and coordinated actions on the instant messaging software Telegram, sending a large number of scam messages to global users within seven months.
In a short period, 138,000 Norwegians clicked on scam links; among them, 19,000 people entered their bank card information on fake websites, and 2,900 people went further to provide digital wallet activation verification codes, effectively handing over their accounts.
Telia's report indicates that in the first quarter of this year, overseas scam calls mainly originated from the UK, Netherlands, and the US, with 'Wangiri' (callback trap) and number spoofing each accounting for a certain proportion. Anti-fraud expert Øivind Kristiansen said that new SMS scam methods are more troublesome than phone calls.
He described a scenario where victims receive a message saying their credit card has been locked or an unpaid parking fee requires them to call a specified number for processing. The number is disguised as the Norwegian road toll system AutoPass or a well-known parking operator.
Such messages create a sense of urgency, leaving no time for doubt; sometimes, before the message is even finished reading, the call comes in. Kristiansen said that these 'callback phishing SMS' are becoming more common, using local brands familiar to Norwegians for disguise. Precisely because they look real, they are harder to block.
Facing continuously evolving scam methods, the Norwegian government announced in March this year that it would extend the mandate of the 'National Expert Group for Combating Digital Fraud,' established in 2023, for two years, expanding its scope from phone fraud to online fraud. The expert group is jointly led by the Norwegian Communications Authority (Nkom) and the National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Økokrim), with members including telecom operators, banks, and cybersecurity agencies.
The latest data from the Financial Supervisory Authority shows that bank fraud losses have decreased by 35% in the past six months, but scam techniques and targets continue to evolve, making this a never-ending battle. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung)1150410
Last year, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) published an in-depth investigation revealing a transnational scam network that communicated in Chinese and coordinated actions on the instant messaging software Telegram, sending a large number of scam messages to global users within seven months.
In a short period, 138,000 Norwegians clicked on scam links; among them, 19,000 people entered their bank card information on fake websites, and 2,900 people went further to provide digital wallet activation verification codes, effectively handing over their accounts.
Telia's report indicates that in the first quarter of this year, overseas scam calls mainly originated from the UK, Netherlands, and the US, with 'Wangiri' (callback trap) and number spoofing each accounting for a certain proportion. Anti-fraud expert Øivind Kristiansen said that new SMS scam methods are more troublesome than phone calls.
He described a scenario where victims receive a message saying their credit card has been locked or an unpaid parking fee requires them to call a specified number for processing. The number is disguised as the Norwegian road toll system AutoPass or a well-known parking operator.
Such messages create a sense of urgency, leaving no time for doubt; sometimes, before the message is even finished reading, the call comes in. Kristiansen said that these 'callback phishing SMS' are becoming more common, using local brands familiar to Norwegians for disguise. Precisely because they look real, they are harder to block.
Facing continuously evolving scam methods, the Norwegian government announced in March this year that it would extend the mandate of the 'National Expert Group for Combating Digital Fraud,' established in 2023, for two years, expanding its scope from phone fraud to online fraud. The expert group is jointly led by the Norwegian Communications Authority (Nkom) and the National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Økokrim), with members including telecom operators, banks, and cybersecurity agencies.
The latest data from the Financial Supervisory Authority shows that bank fraud losses have decreased by 35% in the past six months, but scam techniques and targets continue to evolve, making this a never-ending battle. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung)1150410