Romania Scams: Online, Banking & Investment Fraud Guide
Common scams in Romania and how to report them to DNSC, the Romanian Police, and your bank.
Emergency number: 112 — verify on official sources.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Romania faces significant online fraud including phishing targeting banking apps, smishing impersonating Romanian Post or banks, investment scams, and marketplace fraud. The National Directorate of Cyber Security (DNSC, formerly CERT-RO) is Romania's primary cybersecurity authority and accepts incident reports; criminal complaints are handled by the Romanian Police and, for organised cybercrime, by DIICOT, while ANPC handles consumer rights complaints.
OLX fraud is the daily grind: fake 'buyers' contact sellers within minutes of a listing going up and send links to counterfeit courier or 'OLX Pay' pages that ask for full card details 'to receive the payment' — a page that harvests the card and drains the account. The countermeasure is simple: receiving money never requires your card number, expiry, or codes. Phishing waves also impersonate Romanian banks with 'blocked account' alerts, energy suppliers, ANAF (the tax agency) with fake refunds and debts, and delivery firms like Fan Courier and Sameday with customs or redelivery fees.
Phone fraud has its own local classic: the 'accident method' ('metoda accidentul'), where a caller — often at night — tells an elderly victim that a child or grandchild caused a serious accident and needs money immediately for bail or hospital costs, with a 'lawyer' or courier collecting the cash. Investment fraud runs through fake trading platforms advertised with deepfaked Romanian celebrities and TV hosts, and 'account managers' who coach deposits by phone until withdrawals require 'taxes'. Check the ASF's warnings before investing. Card skimming persists at some ATMs, so prefer machines inside bank branches. When money moves, call your bank first — recalls work best within hours — then file with the police and alert DNSC to phishing infrastructure.
Common scams
- Phishing and smishing impersonating Romanian banks or Poșta Română
- Investment and crypto fraud
- Online marketplace (OLX) non-delivery and overpayment scams
- Card cloning and ATM skimming
Tourist-specific scams
- Overcharging unlicensed taxis in Bucharest
- Fake tour operators and accommodation listings
- Currency-exchange shortchanging and inflated tourist-venue bills
Online shopping scams
- Parcel-fee smishing impersonating Poșta Română or Fan Courier
- Fake online shops and classified listings
- Account takeover phishing targeting banking credentials
- Fake 'OLX Pay' and courier pages harvesting sellers' card details
Job scams
- Task scams via messaging apps
- Fake overseas job offers requiring upfront fees
- Work-abroad 'agencies' charging placement fees for non-existent jobs
Romance scams
- Dating-app romance and cryptocurrency investment grooming
- 'Accident method' calls claiming a relative urgently needs bail money
- Long-distance partners with escalating emergencies
Investment scams
- Fake trading platforms and clone broker firms
- Crypto and 'AI bot' investment schemes
- Deepfaked Romanian celebrities and TV hosts promoting fake platforms
How to report a scam here
- Contact your bank immediately if money was transferred
- Report cybercrime to DNSC at dnsc.ro or email [email protected]
- File a criminal complaint with the Romanian Police at politiaromana.ro or at a local station
- For consumer fraud, report to ANPC at anpc.gov.ro
Local reporting & protection links
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Bank & payment guidance
Contact your bank straight away on the number printed on your card, rather than any number or link contained in the message you received. Romanian banks can attempt to recall fraudulent transfers most effectively within the first few hours, and money is usually moved on fast through mule accounts or crypto purchases. Say that you were deceived into authorising the payment, ask for the receiving account to be reported, and note the reference number. If you entered your card details on a fake OLX, courier, or 'payment' page, treat the card as fully compromised: have it blocked and reissued immediately and dispute every charge, because these cards are typically abused within minutes. If your banking credentials went into a phishing page, reset them from a different device and check for newly added payees or devices. File a police complaint so the bank claim has a case number, and forward the phishing link or SMS to DNSC to get the infrastructure taken down.
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot all messages, profiles, websites and payment pages
- Save transaction references, account numbers and crypto wallet addresses
- Keep emails with full headers where possible
- Note dates, times, names and phone numbers used
Frequently asked questions
What is DNSC in Romania?
DNSC (Directoratul Național de Securitate Cibernetică) is Romania's National Directorate of Cyber Security, responsible for preventing, analysing, and responding to cyber incidents. It was formerly known as CERT-RO and accepts public incident reports at dnsc.ro or [email protected].
How do I report cybercrime in Romania?
Report cybercrime to DNSC at dnsc.ro or [email protected]. For criminal matters, file a complaint with the Romanian Police at politiaromana.ro or at a local police station. DIICOT handles serious organised cybercrime.
Are OLX marketplace scams common in Romania?
Yes. Overpayment scams (where a 'buyer' sends more than the asking price and asks for a refund) and non-delivery scams are frequently reported on Romanian classified-ad sites. Only accept cash on delivery or use the platform's official payment protection where available.
Sources
- National police and cybercrime portals (verify on official sites)
- FTC / Action Fraud / Scamwatch consumer guidance