Online crimes are committed more readily than traditional forms of crime. A woman from Jyväskylä has spent the past decade defrauding people through online flea markets by selling non-existent items such as toys, handbags and children’s clothing.
Published: 22/06/25 | 13:28
She has now received a prison sentence of over a year due to more than a hundred instances of fraud. Despite previous probation sentences she continued her fraudulent activities.
Police do not maintain specific statistics on scams related to online marketplaces.
However, according to Senior Detective Constable Marjo Karvonen from the Central Finland Police Department a significant number of cases are reported. She believes the real number is far higher as many incidents go unreported. People are more susceptible to being tricked online than in person.
“Online it’s easy to hide behind a false identity, use fake names, altered images and misleading information,” Karvonen explains.
Criminal Commissioner Antti Turpeinen from the same police department adds that it’s easier for people to commit crimes when there’s no direct contact.
“Some people exploit this convenience by accepting payments but never sending the promised items, if those items ever existed in the first place,” he says.
To effectively tackle repeat offenders it’s vital that the police are informed of even minor frauds.
“When small scams are repeated over time they escalate into more serious offenses,” Karvonen says.
Knowing about a suspect’s past crimes allows police to act quickly.
“When the full scope of the crimes is investigated we can apply stronger legal measures,” Turpeinen adds. “In some cases detaining the suspect may be necessary to stop their criminal pattern.”
Often cases are resolved during police interviews. Suspects may even repay stolen money after speaking with investigators.
Although these investigations aren’t necessarily difficult they are time-consuming and require significant resources.
Professor Hannu Lauerma, who is a working life specialist and chief physician at the University of Turku says that the internet has opened up new ways to commit crimes.
Although criminal behavior typically starts in youth Lauerma has noticed more cases of middle-aged individuals with stable backgrounds turning to repeat offenses in recent years.
Such a shift in behavior often results from a significant life disruption.
“This can stem from financial collapse, divorce or even a midlife crisis. It can feel like there’s no way forward and crime becomes a form of escape,” he explains.
A sense of unfairness, whether based in reality or imagined may also lead individuals to see their actions as justified retaliation.
Mental health issues or personality disorders may be contributing factors as well. While comprehensive studies are lacking Lauerma suggests that some individuals may have had narcissistic traits that remained manageable until a triggering event disrupted their life.
“They may have relied heavily on external validation, attention or success. When that disappears they lose their balance and turn to crime,” Lauerma says.
Addiction is another common reason for repeat offenses. For some, criminal activity helps cover drug debts or feeds other compulsive behaviors. The risk of addiction varies significantly from person to person but individuals can become dependent on almost any source of gratification.
Many victims of the Jyväskylä scammer have voiced their outrage in local Facebook groups like Jyväskylä Puskaradio.
According to Turpeinen the best way to guard against scams is to exercise caution in all online purchases.
Buyers should confirm that the item is real and even request a video of the packaging if needed. It’s also smart to check if the product images appear elsewhere online which may suggest they were copied.
Other red flags include unusually low prices, urgency in finalizing the sale or being asked to send money to an account not linked to the seller.
“The most reliable method is a face-to-face cash exchange,” says Turpeinen.
Karvonen also advises searching the seller’s name online. If others have had bad experiences that information is often easy to find.
By reporting even minor fraud buyers help prevent larger criminal networks from continuing to operate undetected.
