Police Directorate: Warning citizens about attempted fraud via text messages

The Police Directorate has appealed to citizens to be cautious about current fraudulent messages from foreign phone numbers in which the sender presents himself as the Government of Montenegro, and which aim to steal personal and banking information.

The Police Directorate announced that officers from the Crime Prevention Sector have noticed a new wave of internet fraud carried out via SMS and other messaging systems.

"Citizens are receiving messages from foreign phone numbers in which the sender falsely presents himself as the Government of Montenegro. The text of the message states that this is a final notification on the settlement of traffic fines, and under pressure of a short deadline, citizens are threatened with enforcement proceedings, freezing of bank accounts and seizure of property if they do not make the payment," the statement says.

It is alleged that potential victims are required to click on a malicious link provided in the message or respond with a text to allegedly see details about the breach.

"This link leads to a fake website that visually mimics official government websites, and where users are asked to enter payment card numbers and personal identification data," the statement said.

The police informed citizens that official state institutions of Montenegro never use foreign mobile phone numbers to communicate with citizens, nor do they send notifications about fines and court proceedings in this way.

"Also, official state websites use exclusively the state domain .gov.me, not the suspicious foreign domains that appear in these messages. Threats of immediate account blocking within a few hours represent classic manipulation that forces the victim to react hastily," the police said.

They advised citizens not to open links provided in such messages, not to respond to them, and not to send any codes back.

"Do not enter your personal information, ID number, or bank card information on suspicious websites, and it is recommended that you immediately block the number from which the message came and delete it from your device," the police emphasized.

As they said, in cooperation with other competent institutions and computer fraud teams, they are undertaking intensive activities to identify and block the disputed domains and shed light on this case.

"If any of the citizens have already entered their bank card details, they need to urgently contact their home bank to block the card and prevent material damage," the statement said.