Fraud Fighters in Mo i Rana: Real-time banking security

While most of us are fast asleep, a team in Mo i Rana is wide awake. At Tieto Banktech’s Defence Centre, specialists work around the clock to detect and stop payment fraud before it reaches end-customers.

Before dawn breaks in northern Norway, the office lights are already on. The winter darkness lingers, and the coffee machine has been running all night. Employees pass a series of security checks before settling in – hands wrapped around warm mugs, eyes on the screens.

Inside the open‑plan offices, phones ring steadily and discussions move quickly. This is the core of Tieto Banktech’s Defence Centre, a fully managed fraud‑prevention unit with nearly 30 years of operational experience. It forms a key part of Tieto Banktech’s Financial Crime Prevention organisation, supporting AML and fraud‑defence functions for over 130 banks and financial institutions across the Nordics and Europe.

A criminal landscape that never rests

The centre is divided into two teams: FCP Investigation and FCP Response.

Investigation is staffed around the clock by analysts working in rotating shifts. Thomas Følling leads a team of 24.

– Fraud attempts don’t pause. Even when Norway sleeps, bank customers are travelling or living in other time zones. We must be vigilant every hour of the day, Thomas says.

In 2025, the Financial Crime Prevention systems monitored nearly five billion transactions, leveraging advanced AI and automation to filter suspicious activity. But the most decisive work still happens when human experts step in to interpret what the systems cannot fully resolve.

– We work through a constant flow of alerts. When something looks off, we dive in, review the case and decide whether the anomaly signals real fraud, Thomas explains.

Despite the automation, the Defence Centre still handles a high number of cases every single day.

Support when it matters most

While Investigation focuses on the data, the Response team handles the people behind it. Based partly in Mo i Rana and partly in Riga, the team provides multilingual support to end-customers at risk of fraud, offering reassurance and guidance in their native language. Silje Lilly Fjellstad leads a team of 15.

– In times of increasing phishing and social manipulation, language matters. For customers who are scared or unsure, hearing someone who speaks their language can be the key to gaining their trust, Silje Lilly says.

The team calls customers who may be victims of fraud – or who are in the middle of being manipulated. At times, the fraudsters even answer the phone themselves.

The first task is always to confirm whether a transaction is genuine. If not, the focus shifts to guiding the customer calmly and securely.

– Some people panic. Others are relieved. Our job is to read the situation and adapt – whether that means reassurance or clear, direct instructions, Silje Lilly explains.

In 2025 alone, the team sent over 216,000 SMS alerts and made more than 340,000 phone calls.

Some cases stay with the consultants longer than others – like those involving romance fraud.

– A typical love scam involves someone who truly believes they’re in a relationship with the scammer. They send money because they care. That’s what makes these cases so heartbreaking, Silje Lilly says.

In other cases, people lose substantial amounts of money as a result of investment fraud – another growing concern. These scams may begin on platforms like Facebook, where well-known investors appear to offer investment advice, before the victim is contacted by a fake investment adviser.

– Some people respond to such losses with deep distress. In those situations, we do everything we can to support them and guide them towards further help, and we stay on the line until they are ready to end the call. In cases like these, the conversation can last quite some time.

A constant game of cat and mouse

Thomas describes the work as a continuous race, in which the team must constantly keep pace with criminals’ patterns and methods.

– Fraudsters are increasingly organised and technologically advanced, using AI-driven scams, deepfakes, and social engineering. They’re highly skilled, constantly adapting – and it becomes a relentless game of cat and mouse, Thomas says.

A common misconception is that older adults are the primary victims.

– Fraud affects everyone. It’s not about intelligence; it’s about timing – stress, distraction, pressure or even good intentions. Fraudsters know exactly when to strike, Silje Lilly emphasises.

– This is why we’re so focused on tracking patterns, trends and methods. We can’t afford to fall behind, Thomas adds.

Human insight meets machine intelligence

Tieto Banktech continues to develop advanced real‑time monitoring and detection tools. AI and automation underpin much of the Defence Centre’s operations. But the human element remains essential.

– People are irreplaceable when the technical signals aren’t clear. Experience and professional judgement allow us to connect the dots and understand the wider context, Thomas notes.

And because fraud is deeply personal for those affected, digital alerts alone aren’t enough.

– For many customers, it makes all the difference to hear from a real person who takes the time to listen and provide reassurance, Silje Lilly adds.

Work that matters

Both Thomas and Silje highlight the importance of collaboration between Investigation and Response.

– We rely heavily on each other’s expertise. It makes us better – and more confident in the decisions we make, Silje Lilly says.

In a high‑pressure environment, there is rarely time to reflect on the significance of the work.

– We don’t talk often enough about the impact we make. Every day, we prevent financial loss for individuals, businesses and society. That’s something we can genuinely be proud of, Thomas says.