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💸Advance Fee Fraud

Advance Fee Fraud

Advance fee fraud, also known as an "upfront fee" scam, occurs when a criminal contacts you via SMS, email, or social media and convinces you to pay an upfront fee for goods or services that never materialize.

This may involve paying an upfront fee for:

Job applications
Loans
Inheritance
Goods and services
Prizes or lotteries
Delivery fees

How to Protect Yourself?

If someone asks you for an upfront fee, always pause and think. Research the person asking for payment to check if they are legitimate.
You should never pay an upfront fee to apply for a job or for an employment process. Always check the email or company of the employee writing to you.
It is extremely unlikely that you won a lottery or competition you did not enter, so if you are asked for an upfront fee to receive the money or prize, it is likely a scam.
You can verify if the company contacting you is registered in the Commercial Register and use the details provided there to contact companies and recruitment agencies directly.

Examples

Real Case: Fake Danube Bridge toll fee — The Customs Agency warned of a scam where a citizen paid the Danube Bridge toll (Ruse – Giurgiu) through an illegitimate site instead of the official portal. The real toll fee is fixed — €2. Any other requested amount is a sure sign of fraud.
- Quick Tip: Pay state fees only through the official portal of the institution or on-site — never via a link from a suspicious website.
Real Case: Fake courier delivery fee — Users en masse receive fake emails and SMS messages on behalf of well-known courier companies demanding a small amount (around 13–14 BGN) to "settle" a shipment. Real courier companies never demand advance payment this way, and the messages usually lead to links for "withholding" a fee that require credit card details.
- Quick Tip: Check your shipments only through the courier's official app or website — never via a link received by email or SMS.

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