Fake Charity Scams in Sweden
Fraudulent charity campaigns targeting Swedish donors with fake appeals for humanitarian causes, diverting SEK donations to scammers.
Part of: Fake Charity Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Sweden has a strong culture of charitable giving, which fraudsters exploit with fake humanitarian appeals that mimic legitimate Swedish organisations or piggyback on real crises. Victims donate SEK via Swish or card to appeals that look like Röda Korset (Red Cross Sweden) or other well-known Swedish charities, but funds reach scammers.
Frivilligorganisationernas Insamlingsråd (FRII) certifies legitimate Swedish fundraising organisations. Swedish Consumer Agency (Konsumentverket) warns about donation fraud, which spikes sharply after major international disasters.
How this scam works on Sweden
A social-media post or email shares an emotional appeal for a current disaster, linking to a payment page accepting Swish or card that closely resembles the design of a real Swedish charity's website.
Other operations create convincing fake organisations with Swedish-sounding names and .se domains, soliciting recurring monthly Swish donations. The organisations have no physical presence and cannot be found in FRII's member register or Bolagsverket.
In some cases, scammers directly impersonate Médecins Sans Frontières Sweden, Rädda Barnen, or similar established charities using look-alike domains.
Common red flags
- Charity not found in FRII's register at frii.se
- Donation Swish number not listed on the charity's official website
- High-pressure urgent appeal immediately following a major crisis
- Donation page URL does not exactly match the charity's official domain
- No Swedish Organisationsnummer (Org.nr) visible or verifiable via bolagsverket.se
- Appeal arrives via unsolicited SMS or email, not the charity's own channels
How to protect yourself
- Check FRII's member register at frii.se before donating to any Swedish charity
- Donate by typing the official charity URL directly — never via links in social media or email
- Verify Swish donation numbers against the charity's official website
- Look for the '90-konto' (90-account) label — FRII members use regulated 90-accounts
- Report suspicious appeals to Konsumentverket at konsumentverket.se
How to report it
- Report fake charity appeals to FRII at frii.se
- Report to Konsumentverket at konsumentverket.se
- File a complaint with Polisen at polisen.se
Frequently asked questions
I donated via Swish to a fake charity in Sweden — can I get my money back?
Contact your bank or Swish provider promptly to ask about reversing the payment, though success isn't guaranteed once funds have moved on. Report the appeal to FRII and Konsumentverket so others can be warned.
How do I verify a Swedish charity's Swish number is genuine?
Check the number directly against what's listed on the charity's official website, typed in yourself rather than reached through a shared social-media link. A mismatch or absence of a listed number is a red flag.
Is it safe to donate to a crisis appeal I saw shared on Facebook in Sweden?
Navigate directly to the charity's known official website rather than donating through a shared social-media link, since fraudulent appeals often appear within hours of a real crisis to exploit genuine charitable impulse.
What is a 90-konto and why does it matter?
A 90-konto is a regulated bank account issued to certified Swedish charities by Plusgirot/Bankgirot. Charities with 90-konton are audited annually for proper use of funds. Donating to 90-konto holders provides stronger assurance of legitimate use.