Police in the Eskilstuna/Strängnäs region issued a warning on April 2, 2026, about scammers who pretend to be children or close relatives involved in traffic accidents to extort money. According to reports from local media, the scammers typically send SMS messages with texts like "Hej mamma! Jag har varit med om en trafikolycka.
Jag mår bra men jag behöver pengar till en ny mobiltelefon" ("Hi mom! I've been in a traffic accident. I'm fine but I need money for a new mobile phone").
The warning comes ahead of the busy Easter holiday traffic period when such scams are reportedly more common. Police note that this scam method is not particularly new, with similar cases detected as early as 2022. The victims are typically over 60 years old, and scammers often conduct research on social media to identify potential targets.
Authorities advise the public to be cautious of unexpected messages requesting money, even if they appear to come from family members.