Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) Director General Egert Belitšev said that combating the widespread surge in fraud requires coordinated efforts from all partners.

"Put simply, we need to make it as difficult as possible for fraudsters to operate in Estonia. That means banks, telecom companies, law enforcement and many other institutions all have a role to play. These partners are already working hard to protect people's assets, but we see opportunities for more systematic cooperation," Belitšev said.

The kickoff meeting of the newly established steering group was attended by representatives from Coop Pank, the Estonian Banking Association, Elisa, LHV, the police, the Prosecutor's Office, the Financial Intelligence Unit, the Information System Authority (RIA), SEB, SK ID Solutions, Swedbank, Tele2 and Telia.

According to Belitšev, the steering group includes both subject-matter experts and decision-makers from each sector.

"Each partner brings their own experience, knowledge and capabilities. I'm confident that this will give us the clearest picture, the most effective ideas and the most actionable steps we can take. For example, can banks slow down the speed of payments? Can the police and prosecutors use expedited procedures to bring arrested fraudsters to court more quickly? What legal amendments are needed to reduce the damage caused by fraud and strengthen the fight against it? These are all issues the steering group is tackling to take the initiative in the fight against fraud and make Estonia a difficult target for scammers," Belitšev said.

At the first meeting, participants began aligning on the working formats and directions. Future meetings will focus on finalizing a concrete action plan.

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