Scam Strikes Traditional Finnish Club: The Ylivieskan Kuula Incident

Ylivieskan Kuula, a renowned Finnish sports club, has become a victim of a sophisticated hacking scheme that has resulted in a significant financial loss. The club informed its followers on Facebook about the breach, which specifically targeted the bank accounts of its skiing department, notably affecting the funds allocated to the competitive Kuula Ski Team and the department’s general account. A police report has been filed, and an investigation is currently underway.

The incident began with a fraudulent message disguised as a communication from Traficom, urging the club to settle an outstanding bill to avoid legal action. After clicking on the attachment, the club then received a follow-up message impersonating the bank, claiming that OP Turva would contact them shortly. The caller pretended to represent the cooperative bank and misled the club into believing their accounts had been compromised. In truth, the scammer was fishing for sensitive information in an effort to drain the accounts.

Juha Nivala, the chairman of Kuula, disclosed that tens of thousands of euros were siphoned from the accounts, posing a substantial setback for the skiing department. Despite this financial blow, the club’s overall finances remain stable, with other departments and the main club’s accounts remaining untouched. However, this incident has notably strained the skiing department’s financial resources.

In response to the crisis, the skiing department is initiating a fundraising campaign, seeking to secure outdoor advertising from local businesses at the Huhmari Ski Center. The primary objective is to raise funds for the upcoming skiing season and to organize the Veterans' Finnish Championships scheduled for February and March.

Additionally, Nivala mentioned that the skiing department has already garnered around 10,000 euros through raffle proceeds to help cover essential expenses and sustain operations via the club’s regular fundraising initiatives.

Founded in 1909, Ylivieskan Kuula is a diverse organization, boasting 1,252 members participating in various sports. According to their 2023 financial report, the club's revenue has climbed from 553,386 euros to 746,503 euros compared to the previous year.

Note: This report was updated on September 19th at 19:38 to include comments from the club's chairman.