She believed she was helping a friend. She lost money.

A resident of our district fell victim to a scammer who impersonated her friend on social media. She believed the request for help and provided a BLIK code.

On Thursday, July 10, a resident of our district reported being the victim of fraud. Someone had impersonated her friend, taking over his social media account. He then contacted her via instant messaging, requesting an immediate loan using a BLIK code. Convinced she was helping a friend in need, the woman generated the code and sent it to the scammer. The supposed friend assured her he would repay the money as soon as possible. However, he had no intention of doing so from the start. As a result, the woman lost 800 złoty.

The so-called "BLIK" method involves hacking into a social media account and sending messages to the owner's friends requesting a mobile payment code. The criminal quickly enters the code into an ATM and withdraws cash. Although the transaction requires confirmation on the victim's phone, many people accept it without hesitation – believing they are truly helping a loved one. Unfortunately, unlike bank transfers, transactions made using this code cannot be reversed.

To avoid being deceived:

- Use two-factor authentication for social media accounts. This feature can be enabled in your account settings: Settings & Privacy - Settings - Security & Login - Use Two-Factor Authentication,

- do not send codes without personal contact - it is best to call the person who wrote with the request,

- read transaction details carefully before confirming in the application,

- protect access to mobile banking – especially the application PIN.