OVERVIEW OF 2024 ● Four examples of successful scams 1. In August, Kalle (all names have been changed) received a message from Omniva claiming that his parcel had been returned due to an incorrect address and asking him to update the delivery address. On the phishing site, he was asked to select the correct parcel locker and pay €4. Kalle entered his card details and noticed that the page kept loading, but he didn’t give it much thought. The next morning, however, he discovered that over €1,300 had been withdrawn from his account. Although he cancelled his bank card, the lost money could not be recovered. In September, Malle was selling a refrigerator on Facebook Marketplace. The buyer claimed they could not pick up the item themselves and suggested using Cargobus courier services instead. Malle was sent a link and redirected to a fake Cargobus page to make a payment confirming the refrigerator’s transport. Trusting the process, she entered her card details, only to find that €3,900 had disappeared from her account moments later. The payment could not be reversed, and the scammer succeeded. In October, Helle received an email that appeared to be from LHV Bank, asking her to update her details. She entered her banking information on the page opened via the link and later discovered that €950 had been withdrawn from her account. She tried calling and emailing the bank, but as it was outside working hours, she could only reach them the following morning. Unfortunately, it was too late to recover the money. Ülle booked an accommodation on Booking.com. She carefully reviewed other visitors’ ratings, photos of the property and the price: the offer seemed both attractive and credible. The site featured dozens of photos of the property and several positive reviews from users. Although payments should typically be made through Booking.com, the host sent Ülle separate bank account details for payment. After receiving her transfer, the host disappeared without a trace, and the property was removed from the portal. 2. these messages ask for a small payment, typically a few euros, for customs or postal services. However, once users enter their payment card details, significantly larger sums are withdrawn from their accounts. Losses from such scams typically range from a few hundred to tens of thousands of euros. 2. The second type involves emails purportedly sent by a popular bank, asking recipients to update their information. The sender’s address is arbitrary, and the email contains a suspicious link that does not belong to the claimed bank. These emails often stress urgency and set a deadline for completing the task. Unfortunately, many people overlook these warning signs and proceed to update their details. The user is directed to a fake website, where they are prompted to log in using the Smart-ID authentication service and enter their PIN codes. In both cases, users can be almost certain they will not recover their money. The most important step is to carefully check the link included in the email or message to make sure the domain is legitimate. Suspicious addresses usually reveal that the message is not authentic. Banks never send emails with links for updating information; they only request updates via their official apps or websites. Similarly, Omniva and other postal service providers never ask users to enter their details on external websites. ● CYBER SECURITY IN ESTONIA 2025 3. 4. 31