Documentary filmmaker Sami Kieksi dives into the world of digital scams in a new TV series sponsored by Finance Finland

Should we start questioning the trust we place in digitalisation? The new six-part documentary series, Sami Kieksi: Digital Scams (Digihuijaukset), takes a deep dive into the world of digital crime, how it works and why no one is safe from it. The series will be aired on one of Finland’s major commercial television channels, Nelonen, starting this November. It will also be available on the network’s on-demand streaming service. The series has been produced in cooperation with and sponsored by Finance Finland.

In the series, Sami Kieksi, who has received multiple awards for his previous work, meets scam victims, criminals, authorities and experts to find out how this rapidly growing form of digital crime operates and why an increasing number of Finns fall victim to it. The episodes cover different aspects of digital crime, such as money mules and money laundering, so-called safe account fraud, phishing, as well as romance and investment scams and identity theft, in which criminals exploit people’s trust, fears and basic human needs.

“It’s dangerous to think that you’re somehow immune to scams. Before starting work on this documentary, I was sure that my educational background would protect me from scams, but I have since realised that this is not the case”, says filmmaker Sami Kieksi.

“I’ve realised anyone can be scammed – regardless of their age, gender or educational background”, Kieksi continues.

The six-part documentary series directed by Kieksi takes a closer look at the world of digital scams. In the series, Kieksi talks to scam victims, criminals, authorities and experts to understand how this rapidly growing type of digital crime works and why an increasing number of Finns fall victim to it.

The series also examines the sense of shame that often keeps victims silent. “I have heard of cases where the victim has taken their own life out of shame after losing hundreds of thousands of euros they had intended to leave as an inheritance to their family. I want every scam victim to know that the accountability and shame lie entirely on the criminals, not their victims”, Kieksi says.

“I also want those who commit scams to reflect on the consequences they cause in the lives of the people they target. Some people lose their health and their entire trust in society because of a scam.”

The documentary series on digital scams will be available on Nelonen and the online streaming service Ruutu in November.

An exceptionally wide-ranging societal problem

Being defrauded is always a humiliating experience, often accompanied by shame and feelings of failure, and it can cause significant distress. Scams erode our trust not only in other people but also in authorities, banks and even the stability of our increasingly digitalised society.

Director of Public Affairs Tuomo Yli-Huttula says that this is the precise reason why Finance Finland wanted to take part in making a television documentary series about scams.

“Trust is the key capital of the financial sector and of Finnish society as a whole. Financial sector companies simply cannot operate without their customers’ confidence in that their assets are safeguarded in every possible way. The sector is strongly committed to doing everything it can to combat scams and to maintain this valuable trust.”

“Finance Finland has been actively campaigning against digital scams for several years. With the Digital Scams series, we now hope to reach as many people as possible. Sami Kieksi is a familiar face on television for many through his powerful, moving real-life documentaries. I believe that he can also present the harsh reality of digital scams in a compelling way”, Yli-Huttula says.

In 2025, the total value of attempted digital fraud reached €148 million in Finland, according to bank data compiled by Finance Finland. Banks successfully blocked or recovered €75.5 million worth of fraudulent payments.