● OVERVIEW OF 2024 was due to pay its next instalment, everything seemed legitimate, and the nearly identical invoice was paid. The accountant did not suspect that the payment details had been altered. THE CRYPTO BOOM BROUGHT NEW SCAMS Fraud involving cryptocurrency is becoming increasingly common. Since the field is often associated with promises of quick and easy profits, scammers have started exploiting the trust of unsuspecting individuals. The schemes vary, but the pattern is often the same: a person is offered an opportunity to earn money and is guided through making an initial deposit on a cryptocurrency trading platform. The process typically starts with smaller amounts, such as €250, transferred to the platform. After the initial payment, the person is shown how much profit they are supposedly making. They withdraw the earnings, which builds trust and encourages reinvestment, this time with a larger sum. The second time, the person transfers a significantly higher amount to the scammers’ account. Later, they are informed that additional fees are Police caught the creator of phishing kits On 5 June, Estonian National Criminal Police charged a 22-year-old man suspected of developing phishing kits and selling them on the Telegram app. These kits enabled users to create phishing websites and collect people’s login credentials. With these tools, it was possible to bypass two-factor authentication systems used by platforms such as Microsoft 365, PayPal, Google, Dropbox and Binance. This case highlights the growing trend of cybercrime becoming more service-based, where the person conducting the attacks and the one providing the tools are often different individuals. Fraudsters who create such services are also of interest to the police, as cybercriminals are increasingly becoming a key link in the world of international organised crime. It is crucial to disrupt this chain at an early stage. 30 required to access their funds. They pay even more, but ultimately, they are unable to retrieve either the initial amount or the extra money. In some cases, these scams appear as job offers. The victim is promised payment for completing cryptocurrency-related tasks. Once compensation is agreed upon, they are informed that an additional fee or taxes must be paid upfront to receive the money. For example, if the agreed compensation is €10,000, the “employee” is required to pay 20% in taxes first. Enticed by the prospect of substantial earnings, the victim transfers the requested sum, only to find that they neither receive the promised payment nor recover the upfront fee. The amounts lost in such scams typically range from €2,000 to €3,000, but reports have also been received of much larger losses. SCAMS IMPERSONATING BANKS AND POSTAL SERVICE PROVIDERS CONTINUED Once again, numerous reports were received about phishing emails and SMS messages sent in the name of postal service providers or banks. This type of fraud has been popular for years and shows no signs of abating. Broadly speaking, these phishing scams fall into two categories. 1. The first involves emails or SMS messages sent in the name of service providers such as Omniva, DPD or DHL, claiming that a parcel cannot be delivered due to an incorrect address, unpaid delivery fees or customs charges. Often, CYBER SECURITY IN ESTONIA 2025