Financial Crime World

Sweden Sees Rise in Financial Crime and Assaults as Overall Crime Rate Increases by Four Percent

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Preliminary Statistics Show a Reversal of Decline in Crime Rates

According to preliminary statistics from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, more than 1.5 million crimes were reported in Sweden last year, a four percent increase compared to the previous year. This marks a reversal of the decline seen over the past two years.

Fraud Crimes on the Rise

  • Card fraud and social engineering fraud saw dramatic increases of 44 percent and 36 percent respectively.
  • Social engineering fraud, which involves scammers contacting individuals by phone or online to persuade them into performing actions that benefit the scammer financially, has become a growing concern.

Matheus Eriksson, statistician at Brå, notes that social engineering fraud is a type of fraud where scammers pose as bank officials or government representatives over the phone, convincing victims to carry out transactions that benefit the fraudster. The trend suggests that individuals must be increasingly cautious when dealing with unsolicited calls and online messages.

Assaults on the Rise

  • Assaults against both women and men saw significant increases.
  • Assaults by acquaintances were the most common type of reported assault against women, while assaults by strangers were the most common type of reported assault against men.
  • While crimes against individuals increased, some types of sexual assault showed a downward trend, with reported cases decreasing by six percent.
  • The decrease was particularly pronounced for crimes committed against women and girls.

Theft and Robbery Crimes

  • Theft and robbery crimes overall decreased by three percent.
  • Shoplifting saw a surprising ten percent increase. According to Brå, the rise in shoplifting reports may be attributed to an e-service that makes it easier for shopkeepers to report suspected theft.

Advice and Efforts to Combat Fraud

  • Swedes are advised to remain vigilant and cautious when handling personal finances and engaging with unsolicited communications.
  • The authorities have vowed to intensify efforts to combat fraud and protect citizens from falling victim to such crimes.