Flower-delivery fraud spreading in south-west Finland – payment cards stolen at doorsteps
South-west Finland police warn of fraud in which thieves pose as flower couriers and steal payment cards at front doors.
Thieves posing as flower couriers have struck six times in Varsinais-Suomi and Satakunta
South-west Finland police are warning of new fraud in which perpetrators pose as flower couriers to steal bank cards at front doors. According to Iltalehti, six cases have been recorded in Varsinais-Suomi and Satakunta during May and June.
The fraud follows a repeated pattern: the perpetrator delivers an unexpected flower parcel to a front door and asks the recipient for a few euros in "delivery charge" from a bank card. The payment is charged via a separate payment device or mobile phone.
The payment typically fails on the first attempt, prompting the victim to enter their PIN code twice. After the transaction, victims have discovered their cards missing. In some cases, purchases have been made on the cards and money withdrawn from the account.
In a few cases, the perpetrator has returned a different person's bank card to the victim. In one case, the card swap was detected in time, but gold jewellery was later found missing from the flat.
The perpetrators have travelled by car mainly in the afternoons or evenings. Police are investigating the cases as thefts, payment instrument fraud, and payment instrument crimes.
Source: Iltalehti