Tele2’s credit and risk control manager Linas Marcinkevičius emphasizes that today the most important thing is not to evaluate how the message is written, but what action is requested in it.
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According to the National Cyber Security Center, in 2025 fraud accounted for 44% of all criminal activities in the electronic space. About 13 million fraudulent calls and nearly 6 million forged short messages were stopped in Lithuania over the year.
“Mistakes have long been one of the easiest signals to spot fraudulent messages. AI now allows fraudsters to write smoothly, correctly, and convincingly, so dangerous messages increasingly look like regular communication from a bank, courier, government institution, or service provider,” says L. Marcinkevičius.
Fraud is becoming more personal
According to the expert, AI changes not only the quality of messages but also the very logic of fraud. Previously, malicious actors often sent one general text to thousands of people. Now the same scenario can be quickly rewritten in dozens of different ways – according to the situation, audience, or expected human behavior.
“AI helps fraudsters reduce the distance between mass deception and personal address. The message can be written to appear calm, professional, and tailored to a specific situation: supposedly a delayed shipment, suspicious login, unpaid fee, or the need to update data. Such communication no longer raises suspicion as quickly as poorly translated text,” explains the Tele2 expert.
The content of fraudulent messages is increasingly adapted to current events. Fraudsters can exploit income declarations, pension accumulation changes, parcel deliveries, or other issues important to people. AI allows such scenarios to quickly take on an officially sounding form.
“AI does not make fraud a new phenomenon but makes it more convenient and faster for the criminals themselves. They no longer need to be fluent in the language or understand the local context. Therefore, a person’s vigilance must be based not on an aesthetic impression but on a clear procedure: check the sender, do not click on received links, and do not rush to confirm actions,” emphasizes L. Marcinkevičius.
Fraudsters exploit a person’s state
The success of deception can be determined not only by the content of the message but also by the moment it reaches the person. The risk of reacting thoughtlessly is higher when a person is in a hurry, tired, worried, or busy with other tasks.
That is why fraudsters often create pressure and fear of losing money, an account, a parcel, or a service. Such formulations are designed not to inform but to force a person to act automatically without having time to verify the situation.
Correct language is no longer a sign of security
The expert points out that reliable-looking messages often use the same elements: an official tone, polite address, a clear call to action, and limited time to make a decision.
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“Today, a fraudulent message should be evaluated as a situation, not as a text. The question should not be ‘is it written correctly?’ but ‘why am I being asked to do this right now, through this link, and in this way?’ If the answers raise doubts, that is already a serious signal that the message may be fraudulent,” says L. Marcinkevičius.
Messages asking to log into an account, enter bank card details, confirm payment, enter Smart-ID or mobile signature codes, update personal information, or download an attachment should be treated with particular caution.
Requests to disclose seemingly insignificant data should also be treated cautiously. A name, residence, age, or information about relatives can be used to create another, even more personalized fraud scenario.
How to check a suspicious message?
The Tele2 expert first recommends not clicking on links in unexpectedly received short messages or emails. If the message supposedly came from a bank, courier, or institution, it is safest to independently open the official website or app.
It is also worth checking whether such a message is actually visible on the official channel. A request to pay for a shipment should be reflected in the parcel tracking system, and a bank alert in the bank app. If in doubt, one should find the official customer service number and contact the organization.
It is important not to succumb to artificially created urgency. Fraudsters often use phrases like “the account will be blocked,” “payment failed,” “the parcel will be returned,” or “act within 30 minutes.”
“Fraudsters hope that a person will click the link immediately before they have time to critically assess the situation. That is why it is worth pausing, verifying the information through official channels, and not taking hasty actions. Often a few extra minutes of verification can protect against financial losses or data loss,” says L. Marcinkevičius.
Tele2 reminds that suspicious messages should not be forwarded to others, links in them should not be clicked, or replies sent to the sender. If a person has already entered login details or confirmed a payment, they should immediately contact the bank, change passwords, inform the service provider, and contact the police.
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