Swedish Police Warn Citizens About the “Swish” App

The Swedish police have urged all citizens to exercise caution over the misuse of the Swish app in money laundering activities, warning that many uninvolved individuals have faced legal consequences.

The Swedish police in Jämtland County confirmed that many people receive unexpected money transfers from unknown sources and are then asked to forward them to other accounts, without realizing that they are becoming involved in criminal activity.

Camilla Årebö, Head of the Economic Crime Unit at Jämtland Police, stated that handling money of unknown origin poses a serious risk. She explained that money laundering includes any transaction involving funds derived from criminal activity, whether by receiving or transferring them.

She noted that this practice has become increasingly common in recent years, particularly in connection with fraud schemes, where ordinary people are exploited as intermediaries to move money.

She added that the legal consequences may include being cut off by banks and losing access to essential services such as the Swish app or electronic BankID.

She emphasized that the safest response when receiving an unexpected transfer is to refrain from forwarding the money and to contact the police immediately.

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