Advance-Fee Scams in Norway
Classic advance-fee fraud targeting Norwegian residents with fabricated oil-sector contract windfalls or lottery prizes requiring NOK fees to release.
Part of: Advance Fee Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Norway's oil-sector wealth is a recurring theme in advance-fee scams targeting Norwegian residents and businesses. Fraudsters fabricate large contracts with Norwegian oil companies or government agencies that require upfront NOK processing fees, exploiting Norway's global reputation as a major energy exporter.
Forbrukerrådet and Kripos track advance-fee complaints. Norwegian small businesses and individuals looking for oil-sector contracts are particularly targeted. Each paid fee generates a new invented obstacle requiring another payment.
How this scam works on Norway
An email claims the recipient has been selected as a preferred supplier for a Statoil (Equinor) or government entity contract worth millions of NOK. A 'procurement officer' or 'legal representative' requests advance fees for notarisation, customs clearance, or bank account activation to release the contract payment.
Some variants target private individuals with fabricated Norwegian lottery wins or inheritance from a deceased Norwegian national. Each NOK fee brings the victim closer to the supposed release date — which never arrives.
Business variants may include forged Equinor or Norwegian government letterheads to add apparent legitimacy.
Common red flags
- Unsolicited notification of a large Equinor or government contract you never applied for
- Request for NOK advance fees to release a larger payment
- Escalating fees with each 'processing stage'
- Norwegian government or Equinor letterhead in an unsolicited email
- Contact insists on strict confidentiality citing 'contract security protocols'
- Sender email not matching any verifiable Equinor or government domain
How to protect yourself
- Delete unsolicited contract or lottery emails without engaging
- Verify Equinor procurement only at equinor.com/en/about-us/procurement
- Never pay fees to receive a contract payment or lottery prize
- Report suspicious messages to Forbrukerrådet and Kripos
- Warn small-business owners about oil-sector advance-fee variants
How to report it
- Report to Kripos at tips.kripos.no
- File a complaint with Politiet at politiet.no
- Alert Equinor's fraud team if their name is misused at equinor.com
Frequently asked questions
How can a Norwegian small business verify a supposed Equinor contract offer?
Check Equinor's official procurement information directly at equinor.com/en/about-us/procurement rather than relying on any contact details provided in the unsolicited email. Genuine procurement follows formal, published tender processes.
I already paid one fee toward a fabricated Norwegian inheritance or lottery win — should I pay the next one they're demanding?
No — stop paying immediately, since each fee is designed to lead to another rather than release any real funds. Report what you've paid to Kripos and treat further contact as fraudulent.
Why do these scams specifically reference Norway's oil wealth?
Norway's global reputation as a major energy exporter makes large fabricated contract offers feel more plausible to recipients, which fraudsters exploit deliberately to lend false credibility to their approach.
Does Equinor or the Norwegian government offer contracts via unsolicited email?
No. Government and Equinor procurement follows formal tender processes published on official procurement platforms. Unsolicited contract offers via email requesting fees are always fraudulent.