Sweden's move to ditch cash has created a surge in fraud

Sweden is an important test case in terms of cashless crime as it’s gone further on switching to digital payments than almost any other European country

Just 8% of Swedish adults use cash, with cashless shops increasingly common across the country. Picture: Erika Gerdemark/Bloomberg

Ellen Bagley was delighted when she made her first sale on a popular second-hand clothing app, but just a few minutes later, the thrill turned to shock as the 20-year-old from Linköping in Sweden discovered she’d been robbed.

Everything seemed normal when Ms Bagley received a message on the platform asking her to verify personal details to complete the deal. She clicked the link, which fired up BankID — the ubiquitous digital authorization system used by nearly all Swedish adults.