The Center for Cyber Security (CFCS) has issued a warning about counterfeit emails resembling security alerts from the agency that are currently circulating. These emails prompt recipients to click on a link to download antivirus protection. CFCS emphasizes that these are phishing attempts and advises individuals to delete the email without interacting with the link.

Phishing is a method used by scammers who send emails to trick individuals into revealing personal information, which can then be used for financial crimes, including identity theft. The fraudulent emails falsely claim to alert recipients about a “significant increase in cyber threats” and urge them to activate antivirus protection.

CFCS has received inquiries from citizens concerned about these fake emails. The agency confirms that these emails are designed to entice individuals into providing information or downloading malicious software, known as malware, which can damage or exploit digital devices through hacking.

In recent months, multiple warnings about phishing emails have been issued by authorities. The court in Randers (Retten i Randers) and the police have also had to warn against fraudulent messages and emails posing as legitimate communications from official sources like the Randers court and Brobizz, a Danish electronic toll collection service, in attempts to steal credit card information.

A study from the Agency for Digitization (Digitaliseringsstyrelsen) conducted in March 2023 indicates that 57% of Danes have experienced phishing attempts, with one percent of those attempts proving successful.