Fraud Prevention

Fraudsters use different methods to obtain your personal information or money. They may pretend to represent a financial institution, public authority, well-known company or even someone you know. They may contact you by phone, email, SMS, social media or other online channels and often try to create urgency so that you act without checking the information first.

Stay alert and take time to verify unexpected requests. Never disclose your login details, PIN codes or verification codes to other persons, and never approve a payment or login request that you did not initiate yourself.

Common Types of Fraud

Phishing and Impersonation Fraud

Fraudsters may pretend to represent a bank, financial institution, police, government authority, courier company or another trusted organisation. You may receive a call, email or SMS claiming that there is an urgent problem with your account, payment or personal information.

The message may contain a link to a fake website designed to look like a genuine website and ask you to enter account credentials or other confidential information. Fraudsters may also ask you to approve a payment or another action using your authentication method.

Always check where a link leads before opening it and verify unexpected requests through official communication channels.

Investment Fraud

Fraudsters may advertise supposedly profitable or low-risk investment opportunities and promise high or fast returns. They may initially ask you to invest a relatively small amount and later pressure you to invest more. Fake investment platforms may display artificial profits to make the investment appear successful.

Be especially careful when an investment opportunity promises unusually high returns, is presented as risk-free or requires you to make a quick decision. Do not give another person remote access to your computer or mobile device and do not transfer money if you have doubts about an investment opportunity.

Online Shopping and Delivery Fraud

Fraudsters may create fake online shops or pretend to be buyers or sellers on online marketplaces. They may send links to websites that imitate legitimate shops, payment services or courier companies and ask you to enter account information.

Check the website address, seller and service provider before making a payment or providing financial information. Be particularly careful with unusually attractive offers and links sent by people you do not know.

Business Email Compromise Fraud

Fraudsters may impersonate a company’s manager, employee, supplier or business partner by sending fraudulent emails that appear to come from a trusted person or organisation. They may use fake email addresses or gain access to genuine email accounts to send convincing payment requests, false invoices or instructions to change existing bank account details.

The emails may appear legitimate and often create a sense of urgency or confidentiality to pressure you into making a payment without verifying the request. Fraudsters may also use information from previous email conversations to make fraudulent payment instructions appear genuine.

Before making a payment, carefully check the sender’s email address, payment details and any unexpected changes to beneficiary account information. Verify unusual or urgent payment requests directly with the person or business partner concerned using another trusted communication channel, and do not bypass your usual payment approval procedures.

Loan, Lottery and Inheritance Fraud

Fraudsters may offer loans on unusually favourable terms or inform you that you have won a prize or received an inheritance. You may then be asked to make an advance payment for insurance, administrative, legal or other supposed fees before receiving the promised money.

Be cautious when you are asked to pay money in advance in order to receive a loan, prize, inheritance or other financial benefit.

Romance Fraud

Fraudsters may establish relationships through social media or dating platforms and spend time gaining your trust before asking for money. Requests may relate to emergencies, travel, investments or other apparently urgent situations.

Do not transfer money to someone you only know online because of an unexpected request for financial assistance.

How to Protect Yourself from Fraud

Keep your personal and financial information secure:

  • Never disclose your account login details, passwords, PIN codes or verification codes to another person.
  • Confirm only payments, logins and other actions that you have initiated yourself. Always check the amount, recipient and other information shown before confirming an action.
  • Do not click links or open attachments in unexpected or suspicious emails, SMS messages or other communications.
  • Before entering sensitive information, check the website address carefully. Fraudulent websites may look almost identical to genuine websites.
  • Be cautious when someone pressures you to act immediately, transfer money or disclose information.
  • Do not install remote-access software or applications at the request of an unknown person.
  • If someone claiming to represent a financial institution or another organisation contacts you unexpectedly, verify the request using independently obtained official contact information.
  • If you have any doubt about a payment or request, stop and verify the information before taking further action.

If You Suspect Fraud

Act immediately if you believe that you may have been targeted by fraud or have disclosed confidential information. Contact Seven Seas Europe at [email protected] as soon as possible and:

  • Stop communicating with the suspected fraudster;
  • Keep relevant messages, emails, screenshots, payment information and other documents that may help explain what happened;
  • Report the incident to the police;
  • If you installed remote-access or other software at the request of a fraudster, remove it before continuing to use financial services from the affected device.

Suspect fraud? Contact us immediately via email: [email protected]

Contact Seven Seas Europe immediately if:

  • You notice a payment or other account activity that you did not authorise;
  • You have disclosed your login or authentication information;
  • You have approved an action that you did not initiate;
  • You believe that a fraudster may have gained access to your account or device; or
  • You have transferred money as a result of suspected fraud.

Stay Alert

Fraudsters rely on urgency, trust and emotional pressure. Take your time, check the information you receive and do not approve anything you do not fully understand or did not initiate yourself.

If something does not seem right, stop the transaction or communication and verify the information before continuing.

Seven Seas Europe contacts its customers only from email addresses using the @sevenseasfinance.com domain or through messages sent via Internet Banking. If you receive a message claiming to be from Seven Seas Europe through another channel, do not act on the request until you have verified it with us.