We received as many as 3 459 reports of fake messages with the message: 'Federal fine' last week. The attachment in the email contains a document (Strafvordering.pdf) that appears to be from Europol. This message is not from a police force. It is an attempted scam.
You are allegedly summoned in connection with moral offences and urged to contact an official urgently.
The message comes across as very weighty and compelling. The intention is to scare you and extort money from you. This type of scam is not new, but it continues to circulate persistently and scares a lot of people.
- Do not open the attachment.
- Do not reply or contact the person mentioned in the message.
- Mark the message as SPAM or unwanted.
- Block the sender.
- Delete the message.
- Contact your bank and/or Card Stop on 078 170 170 if you transferred money to the scammer. That way, any fraudulent transactions can be blocked.
- File a report with the local police in your place of residence. Collect as much information as possible and take it with you when you go to file a report.
