BLIK Code Scam: Police Warn of Hijacked Friend Accounts

Polish police are warning about a growing scam in which a friend appears to message you asking for a BLIK code. According to the warning, the sender is often not your friend at all but a fraudster who has taken over their social media account.

The message usually looks credible. It asks for a code to complete an urgent transfer, and it arrives from a profile you know. Police urge users not to send authorization codes or money when the only request came through a social network.

How to spot the scam

The warning lists several red flags. The request for a mobile payment code or immediate money comes with little explanation and strong time pressure. The text often contains language mistakes or sounds different from your usual conversations with that person.

Another sign is an account that suddenly sends similar messages to many people at once. Requests for a login or password, or links promising "quick login", are further signals that the profile has been compromised.

What to do instead

This does not mean you should never help friends. The advice is to verify the request through a different channel, for example by calling the person or sending a voice message and asking whether they really need support.

Do not give in to "urgent, do it now" pressure. A short phone call takes seconds and can prevent you from losing money or handing a criminal access to your own payment details.

The real risk, as the warning stresses, begins with the hijacked account: the person who tries to help becomes the next victim. Anyone who suspects a friend's profile has been taken over should tell that friend through another channel so they can recover it.