Omniva warns against scam calls: couriers never ask customers to verify their identity by phone using PIN codes – scammers do
Omniva has received multiple reports of scams in which people in Estonia receive a call from someone claiming to be an Omniva courier, asking the customer to verify their identity during the phone call using Smart-ID or Mobile-ID in order to receive a registered letter.
“They tell the person that a registered letter or another shipment has arrived and will soon be delivered by courier, but that identity verification must be completed before delivery. The customer is convinced that delivery will be faster if we verify their identity in advance. A Smart-ID or Mobile-ID authentication request is then sent to the customer’s phone, and the customer is asked to enter their PIN codes,” explained Madiken Oja, Head of Communications at Omniva Group, describing the scam currently spreading widely.
Only later does the customer discover that no such shipment is actually on its way, while a large sum of money has already been withdrawn from their bank accounts.
“Omniva couriers and customer service agents never ask customers to identify themselves over the phone. If someone asks you during a phone call to carry out authentication actions or enter PIN codes, it is a scam,” said Oja.
To verify the identity of a registered letter recipient, an Omniva courier asks to see the recipient’s identity document in person at the time of delivery.
According to Oja, raising people’s awareness is the most effective way to combat scams. “This is just one example of a scam call currently circulating, but there are many different types of fraud. As soon as one scam scheme is stopped, another appears. Scammers are persuasive and convincing, and they keep inventing new stories to tell. What matters is remembering — and reminding your loved ones, especially older people — that no matter how convincing the caller may sound, you should never enter your PIN codes,” Oja added.
Omniva recommends ending any phone call immediately if the conversation turns to a request to verify your identity by entering PIN codes for any reason.
More information about different scam schemes is available on Omniva’s website: www.omniva.ee/pettused.