The call comes out of nowhere. The voice on the line speaks Lithuanian — clearly, officially, convincingly. It introduces itself as a bank employee, pension fund representative or government official. Then suddenly: "One moment, we'll transfer you to a Russian-speaking specialist." And the real conversation begins.
This scenario has become one of the most widespread in Lithuania in 2026. And it works — because people do not expect deception where everything starts out sounding so correct.
According to a survey conducted on behalf of Swedbank in February 2026, 54% of Lithuanian residents have encountered phone scammers this year — more than half the country. This is not abstract statistics. It means that among your friends, colleagues and relatives, at least every second person has already received such a call.
Swedbank representative Žigeda Augonė explains the sharp rise in scammer activity with a specific reason: changes to the second-pillar pension accumulation system — residents were permitted to withdraw their money from the funds. Scammers reacted immediately. "The changes to the second-pillar fund programme became bait for scammers targeting residents' money," she says. According to her, criminal activity will be particularly high in April — when pension money starts arriving in people's accounts.
The geography of scam calls is also revealing. Survey data shows that scammers most often target people with higher education, higher incomes and residents of Vilnius. Young people and those with modest incomes report fewer such calls. The conclusion is unexpected: the more successful a person is, the more attractive they are to scammers.
Here is how one of the most common schemes in Lithuania works.
The call begins with an automated message in Lithuanian — clean, grammatically correct, accent-free. The robot voice announces something official: "suspicious activity detected," "data confirmation required," "your account has been blocked." The person relaxes: it sounds like a real institution.
Then a live person joins — and speaks in Russian. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am a Russian-speaking specialist who will help you resolve the situation."
This is not accidental. It is a calculated scheme. The Lithuanian robot creates the impression of legitimacy. The switch to Russian is a deliberate calculation: a portion of Lithuania's residents for whom Russian is their native or familiar language will feel more comfortable — and more trusting.
One rule needs to be absolutely clear: all Lithuanian state institutions are required by law to communicate with citizens in Lithuanian. This is a legal norm, not a preference. Banks, the tax authority, the pension fund, the police — an official call begins and continues in Lithuanian.
If you call yourself and ask for assistance in Russian, a specialist may switch to Russian or connect you with a Russian-speaking colleague. But the initiative must come from you. A real institution will never call you and immediately offer a "Russian-speaking specialist" — only scammers do that.
Remember this simple rule: if an incoming call starts in Lithuanian and then offers to switch you to Russian — hang up. It is a scam.
Scammers do not rely on a single scenario. Their toolkit is constantly updated.
The "bank" call. The most classic scheme. A voice reports suspicious transaction activity and asks you to confirm your card details or install a "security app." A real bank will never ask you to share a PIN code, CVV code or one-time SMS password over the phone.
The pension fund and "saving" your savings. In 2026, a particularly active scheme involves second-pillar pension funds. A scammer calls to warn that your pension savings are "at risk" or need to be "urgently transferred to a secure account." This is a lie. No such secure account exists.
Investment platforms. "Exclusive opportunity," "guaranteed returns," "new financial platform" — all of these are signs of fraud. As Swedbank's representative puts it: "New financial platforms, exclusive investment opportunities, advertising of miraculous ways to get rich — this is most often deception that appears attractive."
Pressure and urgency. Scammers always rush you. "The decision must be made right now," "in 10 minutes it will be too late," "your money is already being transferred." This is psychological pressure — their primary tool. Real institutions never demand financial decisions be made in minutes.
The Swedbank survey revealed a worrying fact: 83% of people planning to withdraw money from pension funds feel no threat of fraud. Almost half of them explain this by saying they "have information about scammers' methods." But it is precisely this sense of security that makes a person vulnerable. Scammers know: a confident person lowers their guard.
Never share SMS codes, PIN codes, passwords or card details over the phone — not to a bank, not to the police, not to a pension fund. Real institutions do not ask for this.
If you receive a suspicious call — hang up and call back yourself using the official number from the institution's website. Do not use the number you were given.
If a call starts with a Lithuanian robot and ends with an offer to speak with a "Russian-speaking specialist" — it is a scammer. Hang up immediately.
Do not rush. Any pressure demanding you "decide right now" is a sign of fraud. Take a pause and talk to someone you trust.
Warn elderly relatives. Pensioners remain the primary target — especially now, during the pension fund withdrawal period.
On social media, one simple rule applies: if an offer seems too good to be true, it is almost certainly fraud.
Fraud schemes evolve. What looked like an obvious scam a year ago today appears convincing and professional. Lithuanian at the start of the call, an official tone, knowledge of your name and even the last four digits of your card — none of this is any longer a guarantee that the call is genuine.
The only reliable protection is the habit of stopping and thinking before sharing any information or transferring money. Even if the voice sounds convincing. Even if it speaks Lithuanian.
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