SMS scammers: a message about a fine or a parcel and fake websites
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The message arrives unexpectedly: “You have been issued a fine”, “Your parcel has been held”, “Account blocked”. Below it – a link. A website opens that looks exactly like that of the e-police, Regitra or a bank, and asks you to log in. Once you enter your online banking details and confirm the code, the scammers empty the account within a few minutes.
This is currently the most common scam scheme in the police daily incident reports. This article covers how it works, real examples, how to recognise a fake message and website, and what to do if you have already entered your details.
In short
- Neither the police, nor Regitra, nor a bank sends an SMS with a link where you have to log in to your bank.
- The address of a fake website is often similar to the real one, but with extra words or a different ending.
- If you entered your details – call the bank immediately and block access.
How the scheme works
- The message. An SMS, an email or a message in an app about an urgent matter: a fine, a parcel, a tax overpayment, a blocked account.
- The link. It leads to a website visually copied from the real one.
- The login. You are asked to choose your bank and enter login details or confirm a Smart-ID or Mobile-ID request.
- The theft. Meanwhile the scammers log in to the real bank with your details, and the code you confirmed lets them make a transfer.
Real cases from the police reports
- Alytus, October 2026. A man received an SMS supposedly from “e-policija” about an unpaid fine, activated the link and entered his online banking details. 16 024 € was misappropriated from the account.
- Tauragė county, October 2026. A company received an SMS with a link whose address contained the words “epolicija” and “baudos”. After the details were entered, 19 520 € disappeared from the company's account.
- Marijampolė and Tauragė counties, October 2026. Several people tried to log in to a fake Regitra website – in one case after simply selecting it in an internet search. Losses – from 1 100 to 4 900 €.
- Vilnius, October 2026. A young man clicked an SMS link about an “unpaid fine” and lost 1 650 €.
The examples show that companies fall victim too, and that a fake website can appear not only in a message but also in search results or advertising.
How to recognise a fake message
| Sign | Fake | Genuine |
|---|---|---|
| Link | An address with extra words, hyphens, an unusual ending (.info, .top, .online) | Institutions notify you about fines through official systems, not by an SMS link to a bank |
| Pressure to hurry | “Pay today, otherwise the fine will increase” | Official deadlines are counted in days and weeks |
| Login | Asks you to choose a bank and enter details | You log in to the bank only by yourself, through the bank's app or an address you typed in |
| Language | Mistakes, odd forms of address | Correct language – but this is no longer a reliable sign |
How to protect yourself
- Do not click links in messages about money, fines and accounts. Open the website yourself by typing in the address.
- Check the address before entering any details – right to the end of the domain.
- Read what you are confirming in Smart-ID. If the request did not arise from your own action in the bank – do not confirm it.
- Check fines officially – at epolicija.lt, logging in yourself.
- Set payment limits at the bank – they cap the loss.
If you have already fallen victim
- Cut off communication and do not transfer anything more.
- Call your bank – sometimes the payment can still be stopped. Block your card, change your passwords.
- Report to the police via epolicija.lt or by calling 112.
- Keep the evidence: messages, numbers, links, payment confirmations.
It is worth reporting a suspicious SMS or website to the National Cyber Security Centre (NKSC) by email at cert@nksc.lt – that way the fake website can be blocked sooner.
Frequently asked questions
Do the police send SMS messages about fines?
The police do not send an SMS with a link through which you have to log in to your bank. You can check fines yourself by logging in to epolicija.lt.
I clicked the link but did not enter anything – is it dangerous?
Usually not, but close the page and do not install anything. If you entered details or confirmed a code – call the bank immediately.
How do I recognise a fake bank website?
By the address: the real website has the bank's exact domain. It is safest to log in through the bank's app or to type in the address yourself.
Sources
- Lietuvos policija. Paros įvykių suvestinės
https://policija.lrv.lt/lt/ivykiu-suvestines/ - Lietuvos policija. Pranešk apie bandymą sukčiauti!
https://policija.lrv.lt/lt/naujienos/pranesk-apie-sukciavima/ - Lietuvos bankas. Pakliuvau sukčiams: ką daryti?
https://www.lb.lt/lt/pakliuvau-sukciams-ka-daryti - Nacionalinis kibernetinio saugumo centras. Pranešti apie kibernetinį incidentą
https://www.nksc.lt/pranesti.html