The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova has reviewed the report of the parliamentary inquiry commission on telephone, financial, and digital fraud and adopted a resolution recommending the establishment of a National Anti-Fraud Focal Point. The new structure is intended to strengthen the country’s mechanisms for preventing, detecting, investigating, and combating fraud.
According to the report presented to lawmakers, more than 95% of fraud cases are carried out using social engineering techniques. The most common methods include caller ID spoofing, deepfake-based investment scams, impersonation of public authorities and financial institutions, and the so-called “relative involved in an accident” scam.
The commission’s data show that during the first five months of 2026, the number of fraud cases increased by 21.7% compared to the same period last year. At the same time, the total financial losses reported by victims reached a record level of approximately 272 million lei in 2025.
To address the growing threat, the commission proposed the creation of a permanent National Anti-Fraud Focal Point operating online and in real time. The center would bring together representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Security and Intelligence Service (SIS), the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS), the General Police Inspectorate, the Service for the Prevention and Combating of Money Laundering, the Cybersecurity Agency, the National Bank of Moldova, commercial banks, mobile and internet service providers, as well as the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI).
The proposed body would coordinate information sharing between institutions, enable the rapid blocking of phone numbers and online platforms used in fraud schemes, oversee the mandatory implementation of anti-spoofing systems, establish a unified public alert mechanism, and submit regular activity reports to Parliament.
The commission also recommended legislative amendments to introduce tougher penalties for digital fraud, strengthen regulation of virtual assets, and eliminate anonymity in the activation of prepaid SIM cards.
In addition, state authorities, banks, and telecommunications operators are encouraged to reinforce their anti-fraud systems, expand public awareness campaigns—particularly targeting elderly citizens—and equip prisons with radio signal jamming technology to prevent inmates from carrying out scams.
Under the resolution adopted by Parliament, the government must submit a report within 90 days outlining the measures taken to implement the commission’s recommendations.
The parliamentary inquiry commission was established on June 4 and consists of 11 MPs representing all parliamentary factions. It is chaired by MP Lilian Carp.