Surge in Unauthorized Bank Transactions Costs Polish Customers PLN 0.5B
In 2024, Polish bank customers suffered losses totaling nearly PLN 500 million due to unauthorized transactions, with 334,000 cases reported. Fraudsters employ increasingly sophisticated methods, such as impersonating bank employees via phone calls and creating fake websites to steal login credentials.
“Poles are falling victim to such crimes more frequently. Every week, my law firm sees clients who have lost money due to unauthorized withdrawals or loans taken out in their name. This issue comes down to bank responsibility, as their systems are not properly secured, leading to such incidents. Banks also avoid accountability, yet they are responsible for the lack of adequate security,” Karolina Pilawska, an attorney at Pilawska Zorski Adwokaci, said.
Despite legal obligations to reimburse victims, banks often shift the burden of proof onto customers, forcing them into legal battles. The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) has initiated proceedings against banks for inadequate responses to such fraud cases.
(Newseria)
