Erkki Liikanen, former Governor of the Bank of Finland. (Image: Helsinki Times)
According to the Helsinki Times, Erkki Liikanen, the former Governor of the Bank of Finland, fell victim to a financial scam, resulting in a loss estimated at approximately €40,000 (over 1.2 billion VND).
Helsinki Police confirmed that the case is in its preliminary investigation stage and declined to disclose the victim’s identity. However, reports from MTV Uutiset and Helsingin Sanomat have identified Mr. Liikanen as the affected individual.
Mr. Liikanen served as the Governor of the Bank of Finland from 2004 to 2018 and was a member of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank during the same period. Previously, he held positions as the European Commissioner for Budget and Administration (1995–1999), Minister of Finance under Prime Minister Harri Holkeri, and a Member of Parliament for nearly 20 years.
The incident occurred in April 2024 and is currently under investigation by the police, who are treating it as “very serious.” According to Helsinki Police, the scam involved a “safe account” scheme, a common tactic where cybercriminals deceive users into transferring money under the guise of protecting their bank accounts.
Mr. Liikanen declined to comment on the matter, stating he did not wish to interfere with the ongoing investigation.
The investigation reveals that the scam is linked to a larger criminal network, with multiple suspects, both Finnish and foreign nationals. Some of these suspects are also under investigation for other crimes. Besides Mr. Liikanen, several other victims are associated with the same case.
Finnish Police have repeatedly warned about “safe account” scams, a method originating from international criminal networks that is becoming increasingly prevalent in Finland. Victims are often high-profile individuals or those with substantial assets.
In “safe account” scams, victims typically receive fraudulent messages from banks, debt collection agencies, or postal services, warning of unusual activity or fees requiring attention.
Subsequently, victims receive a call from someone claiming to be a bank employee. The scammer uses available information (possibly from previous scams) to build trust, such as referencing actual bank transactions. They convince the victim to transfer money to a “safe account” to protect their assets from fraud. In reality, this account is controlled by the scammers.
In some cases, criminals obtain the victim’s online banking credentials and transfer the money themselves. In others, victims are persuaded to make the transaction themselves. Police have not disclosed the specific sequence of events in Mr. Liikanen’s case.
