The Polish Police and financial institutions are sounding the alarm about a sharp intensification of activity by criminal groups using social engineering and advanced digital techniques. Just in recent days, the authorities have dismantled an international group responsible for laundering 20 million PLN and detained a number of people extorting money using the "fake policeman" and "fake water utility worker" methods. Experts are warning about fake messages regarding e-PIT platforms, Netflix, and Revolut.
Dismantling of a group laundering millions
Authorities shut down an international call center that extorted and funneled nearly 20 million PLN through dummy accounts.
Tax and service phishing
Fraud campaigns impersonating the Tax Office (e-PIT), Netflix, Revolut, and Bank Pekao S.A. to steal data.
Home scams targeting seniors
Detentions were made of people posing as water utility workers and using the 'emergency' method.
Rise in crime on Telegram
Data from Italy indicates a more than twofold increase in the number of payment frauds carried out via this messenger.
The final days of February 2026 brought an unprecedented intensification of actions targeting citizens' finances. The Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime, together with local police units, carried out a series of coordinated actions, which resulted in, among other things, the dismantling of an international criminal group. This formation, operating based on a fake call center, managed to extort and "launder" nearly 20 million zloty. Thirteen people were detained and charged with participation in an organized criminal group. The case is ongoing, and investigators from Wrocław point to the cross-border nature of the perpetrators' activities. Simultaneously, a wave of scams targeting seniors is growing. Criminals are increasingly posing as utility bill collectors or healthcare workers. In Warsaw, a group was dismantled that, under the pretext of testing water quality, robbed residents of Mokotów and Ursynów. Meanwhile, in Lower Silesia, a special preventive program has been launched to protect older people from scams using the "emergency" method. Individual losses are drastic – one resident of Pomerania lost over 200,000 zloty after a conversation with a supposed bank consultant who persuaded her to make a transfer to a technical account. Fraud methods have evolved from simple pickpocketing to advanced phishing, which was born with the popularization of electronic banking in the first decade of the 21st century. In the digital sector, phishing campaigns exploiting current events, such as the tax settlement campaign e-PIT, dominate. Fraudsters send SMS messages about alleged underpayments in fines or problems with subscriptions to streaming services like Netflix. All these actions share a common goal: to trick the victim into clicking a malicious link leading to a fake payment gateway. Bank Pekao S.A. issued an urgent statement warning against suspicious attachments that could be used for identity theft. The authorities appeal for always verifying by phone any request for money, even if the caller claims to be a police officer. „Bądźmy czujni i nie dajmy się zwieść pozorom. Każda prośba o szybki przelew lub podanie kodów BLIK powinna wzbudzić naszą nieufność.” (Let's be vigilant and not be deceived by appearances. Any request for a quick transfer or providing BLIK codes should arouse our distrust.) — Police statement This phenomenon is global, as confirmed by reports from Italy and Spain. Their services are warning of a drastic increase in crime on the Telegram platform. In 2025, a giant leap in the number of payment-related frauds was recorded there, making this messenger one of the main channels used by cybercriminals to distribute illegal content and tools for stealing bank funds.
Perspektywy mediów: Liberal media emphasize the necessity of digital education and the responsibility of technology platforms for user safety. Conservative media place greater emphasis on harsher penalties for fraudsters and the effectiveness of Police operational actions.