Many different scam text messages related to traffic control have recently been sent in the name of the police. If you receive such a message, do not click on the link and do not provide your personal information or banking credentials to a phisher.
Scam messages sent in the name of the police allege that the recipient has to pay a speeding fine, for example, and ask them to pay it via a link in the message. Other messages, on the other hand, only talk more generally about offences committed with a vehicle and provide a link that you can supposedly click on for more detailed information. Such messages are not sent by the police, but are used to phish for personal data and banking credentials, for example.
The police never notify of traffic penalty fees or fines by text message. Traffic penalty fees imposed in automatic traffic surveillance are sent electronically via the online service to Suomi.fi Messages users and to others by post to the recipient's home address. A traffic penalty fee imposed in traditional traffic surveillance can also be sent to the party concerned as a Suomi.fi Message or by letter, but only if the driver has first been stopped and identified on the road.
If you are not sure whether you have been given a traffic penalty fee or not, you can check by logging in to the police e-services, choose Services for private individuals and then Traffic cases. Any cases can be found in the section "Appeals and traffic penalty fee matters under processing".
Notices of traffic offences recorded by automatic traffic surveillance devices are also first sent by letter to the recipient’s home. However, the fines are always served in person, for example at the local police station.
What to do if you receive a scam message
If you receive a suspicious text message, never reply to it or click on the links, delete the message. You do not need to report a scam message that has not been acted upon to the police.
If, on the other hand, you have already divulged your personal or bank details to a scammer, first contact your bank immediately and then report the offence to the police. You can report an offence electronically through the police e-services or in person at any police station.
