Cooperation memorandum signed at the Presidential Palace – strengthening the fight against electronic fraudsters

An event titled “President’s unifying initiative to reduce electronic fraud in the country” took place today at the Presidential Palace, during which a memorandum was signed that will contribute to protecting citizens from electronic fraud. 

The President’s National Security Advisor Andrius Varnelis presented the current situation in the country during the event and emphasized that the problem of electronic fraud is expanding rapidly – every year, thousands of Lithuanian residents lose their money, with the defrauded amounts reaching millions of euros. According to data from the Center of Excellence in Anti-Money Laundering, in 2023 electronic fraudsters extracted €12.3 million, and in 2024 – €17.3 million. 

According to the Head of State, financial losses not only increase the vulnerability of citizens but also negatively impact trust in Lithuanian companies and organizations, whose names are used by fraudsters, and trust in law enforcement institutions, which are meant to provide protection, as well as in banks, where money is held. Electronic fraud also contributes to fear of using the digital space, into which more and more private and public services are moving, and information dissemination channels are being exploited for disinformation campaigns. 

In the President’s assessment, all these factors not only negatively affect the vision of a welfare state but also pose a threat to national security, therefore all possible measures must be taken to improve the situation. 

The President’s Advisor A. Varnelis drew attention during the event to the fact that educational efforts alone are not enough to protect citizens – technological solutions, the unification of law enforcement, public and private sectors, operational responsiveness to the intensity of fraud, and international cooperation are all necessary. 

“Electronic fraud is becoming one of the fastest-spreading threats to our society. The memorandum signed today is an important step in ensuring a coordinated and unified response – from education and information to real action in response to fraud cases,” emphasized Eglė Lukošienė, Director of the Center of Excellence in Anti-Money Laundering, in her speech. 

The President’s Advisor emphasized that affected citizens must not be left to their fate. Therefore, clear algorithms are needed for where and how to report fraud, and the response to citizens’ reports must be prompt, with every effort made not only to return the money but also to prevent new cases of fraud. Similarly, comprehensive support for law enforcement must be ensured. This will be supported by the involvement of mobile network operators and banks to ensure timely cooperation, and by technological assistance provided by the National Cyber Security Center. 

According to the President, since electronic fraud is committed not only in Lithuania but also in other countries, the involvement of not only national but also international institutions is needed – such as Europol, Eurojust, the European Commission. The Head of State promises to raise this issue at the institutional level of the EU. 

Today, through the memorandum signed on the President’s initiative, a significant step is being taken in combating electronic fraud: the public and private sectors are uniting their technological and expert capabilities to react promptly, in real-time, to ongoing fraud, and to take appropriate actions – block fraudulent links, scam messages or calls, and return transferred funds. 

The memorandum was signed by Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė, General Commissioner of the Police Department Arūnas Paulauskas, Chairman of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania Gediminas Šimkus, Chair of the Communications Regulatory Authority Jūratė Šovienė, Director of the Center of Excellence in Anti-Money Laundering Eglė Lukošienė, and Acting Director of the National Cyber Security Center Antanas Aleknavičius. 

The event was also attended by representatives from the financial, telecommunications, and law enforcement sectors, as well as cybersecurity professionals. 

Supplemented by the Press Release of the Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania