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Sweden’s latest figures on payment services fraud show a clear rise in both reported cases and reported amounts. In a news item published on 3 June 2026, the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, Finansinspektionen (FI), said the number of reported fraud incidents and the total reported fraud amount increased in the second half of 2025. At the same time, FI noted that the development in Sweden during 2026 remains to be seen, and that part of the increase may reflect better detection and reporting.

The data comes from FI’s biannual fraud statistics collected from payment service providers under FI’s supervision. The reporting includes fraud linked to account transfers, card-based transactions, card cash withdrawals, e-money transactions, and direct debit.

For the second half of 2025, the total reported fraud amount was SEK 905 million. In the first half of 2025, the corresponding figure was SEK 588 million. FI also reported nearly 179,000 fraud incidents in H2 2025, compared with 146,000 in H1 2025.

These numbers point to a serious underlying problem. But they also show something more nuanced: despite the increase in reported fraud counts and amounts, the actual losses borne by consumers and payment service providers did not rise as much. According to FI, this suggests that firms may be getting better at stopping transactions and returning funds.

Key takeaways

FI receives fraud statistics twice a year from supervised payment service providers.
Reporting covers account transfers, card-based transactions, card cash withdrawals, e-money transactions, and direct debit.
Reported fraud increased from SEK 588 million (H1 2025) to SEK 905 million (H2 2025).
Reported incidents increased from 146,000 (H1 2025) to nearly 179,000 (H2 2025).
FI says part of the increase may reflect improved detection and reporting, but the underlying development remains serious.
Losses did not increase as sharply, indicating improved ability to stop transactions and return funds.
FI convened a roundtable with industry organisations, authorities, consumer groups, the payments market, and social media platforms to discuss further measures.

What FI is saying about the trend

FI’s message is measured but clear. Mithra Sundberg, Head of Payment Supervision, noted that the statistics are lagging because they cover the second half of 2025, so it remains to be seen how the trend looks during 2026. Fraud data often reflects reporting cycles rather than current conditions in real time.

At the same time, FI does not frame the increase as a reporting artefact alone. Sundberg said the increase may partly be explained by better detection and reporting, but also stressed that the underlying development is serious. Firms therefore need to continue prioritising consumer protection and prevent money from ending up with criminals.

FI also highlighted a growing operational challenge: fraudsters have access to the same AI tools as legitimate actors and can use them to scale fraud. According to Sundberg, many good efforts are under way, but the fact that the problem remains large shows more needs to be done to identify vulnerabilities and reduce them. Consumers, she said, must remain vigilant.

Why the gap between reported fraud and actual losses matters

One of the most important points in FI’s update is that reported fraud volume and value rose, but actual losses did not increase to the same extent. This indicates improved intervention capability by payment service providers.

That may include stopping suspicious transactions before completion or successfully returning funds after an incident. FI does not break down those mechanisms in the news item, but the conclusion is still significant: stronger controls can reduce harm even when attempted fraud grows.

For compliance and risk teams, this is a useful reminder that fraud metrics need context. A rise in reports is not always evidence that controls are failing. In some cases, it can reflect improved visibility and reporting discipline, paired with faster decisioning and stronger recovery processes.

What this means for payment providers and compliance teams

For payment providers, FI’s update reinforces a simple expectation: anti-fraud work must remain a priority, both to protect consumers and to stop criminal proceeds from moving through payment channels.

The scope of the data is also important. FI’s reporting spans multiple transaction types, reflecting an everyday reality for compliance teams: fraud does not sit neatly in one product line. It moves across payment rails, channels, and customer journeys.

Three implications stand out for providers and compliance teams:

Detection quality matters as much as case volume. Better reporting can increase incident counts while still indicating stronger oversight.
Speed is critical. If losses rise less sharply than fraud attempts, effective intervention and recovery likely play a role.
Cross-sector coordination is essential. FI’s roundtable included authorities, industry bodies, consumer organisations, payment-market participants, and social media platforms, reflecting how fraud develops across ecosystems.

FI’s roundtable points to a wider response

FI said it held a roundtable with representatives from industry organisations, authorities, consumer organisations, the payments market, and social media platforms to support knowledge-sharing and dialogue on further prevention measures.

Payment fraud is not only a PSP or banking problem. Many scams begin with distribution and manipulation, often outside the payment provider’s direct control. If fraudsters can use AI to automate outreach and improve credibility at scale, prevention has to involve coordinated, cross-sector action.

FI’s does not suggest a solution. It signals active work to strengthen collective resilience.