There’s a special hybrid wave going around in X right now.
The profile will feature a Finnish name – something like Pertti Virtanen, Sari Laine or some other familiar-sounding combo. The background is a lake landscape, a sunset, maybe a boat. Maybe even a flag.
And then the first message arrives:
”Hello dear, how are you doing today?”
…and the whole illusion collapses there.
Welcome to the phenomenon that could be called
”The scammer who figured out that a Finnish name builds trust – but forgot everything else.”
1. The anatomy of a Feikkisuomalainen
Let’s dismantle this structure.
1) Name
Totally Finnish.
First and last name as from the population register:
Mika Järvinen, Kalle Koskinen, Laura Niemi.
The purpose is obvious:
”Ah, a Finn. Probably reliable.”
2) Profile picture
Often one of these:
- stock photo of a middle-aged man in a suit
- a profile picture of an American Facebook mom from 2011
- a badly cropped photo with a foreign number plate and a palm tree in the background
Sometimes the photo has clearly been stolen from a real Finn – with a bonus of a boat, a cottage or a catch of fish.
3) Bio
The bio is often empty.
Or it says something about a universal pearl:
”Honest and God fearing man, looking for true love and serious relationship.”
At this point, the whole of Finland hears a quiet, collective:
”Yeah, no.”
4) Language
Name: 100% Finland.
Message: 110% generic international scam English.
Not ”hello”, not ”hello”, not even ”hello”.
Just ”Hello dear”.
2. The classic script: this is how ”Pertti” tries to charm you
Almost all these accounts have the same script, which could be summarised as follows:
- Random greeting on a dirty ten ”Hello dear, I saw your profile and feel deep connection.”
- Quick role story
Often one of these:- UN officer in a ”war zone”
- a widowed surgeon
- ”oil engineer on offshore rig”
- ”US Army General currently in Kabul” – with a Finnish name, of course
- Pity + decency -combo
- ”I am honest and God fearing.”
- ”I have been hurt before.”
- ”I am looking for serious and trustworthy person.”
- Immediate move away from the public platform ”Can we talk on WhatsApp / Telegram / Google Chat? Social media is not safe.”
The whole thing is done in a couple of messages.
No real interest in you – just a script that runs.
3. Scammer English gems
There are certain phrases that immediately tell you that this is not the Finnish reality:
- ”I saw your profile and feel deep connection.”
- ”I choose you among thousands because my heart directs me.”
- ”I am a man of integrity, I don’t like lies and betrayal.”
- ”I wish to know you more better if you don’t mind.”
- ”I am currently in a peacekeeping mission at the moment.”
A Finnish internal monologue at this point:
”How the hell did you feel a deep connection when I have a dog picture on my profile and 12 retweets from Parliamentary Question Time?”
4. Why does someone still go for this?
It’s easy to laugh at this, but in all honesty:
someone always goes here.
Reasons:
- Loneliness
- curiosity (”I wonder what he wants?”)
- the idea that maybe this is a foreign Finnish
- the desire to believe that someone noticed me
Scammers are not looking for the strongest, the most sceptical or the busiest.
They look for the people who are in the moment:
- too much time
- too little genuine interaction
- a small wish that someone would consider important
They are rats that measure emotional wells.
That’s why we have to say this directly:
If someone has almost been fooled – it doesn’t make them stupid.
It makes them human.
5. Ten golden rules: is this a Finn or a scammer?
Let’s keep this as practical a field guide as possible.
- The name is Finnish, the messages are just ”dear”-level text slurred in English → suspicion +100%.
- The first message starts with ”Hello dear” → the trash can icon is your friend.
- If the guy praises your profile with general phrases and doesn’t refer to anything specific → the script will spin.
- If he pretends to be a soldier/oil engineer/surgeon and immediately wants to WhatsApp → scammer.
- If the reverse image search of your profile picture takes you to a random page → stolen image.
- If a couple of messages and you already have ”destiny”, ”God sent you to me”, ”my queen/king” → not Finnish reality.
- If he asks for anything: money, a gift card, crypto, personal data → refuse immediately.
- If you even slightly feel strange → the feeling is there for a reason.
- A true Finn is more likely to present himself in this way: ”Hi, this is a bit random but…”
- A real person will not rush you into anything. Scammers are always in a hurry: ”please reply me fast”, ”I am waiting for your response dear”.
6. What to do if ”Pertti General Virtanen” writes?
A short action plan:
- The best option: don’t answer, block.
- Second best: reply with one emoji (💀, 🤡, 🧊), and then block.
- A satirical special (if it’s a good day): ’Hi. This is the Finnish National Scam Monitoring Centre.
Your message has been recorded as demonstration material.
Thank you for participating in the survey.”
But the most important:
- do not send personal information
- do not send photos, documents or money
- don’t stay ”toying” too long – they are used to manipulation
You can, and should, laugh.
But let’s laugh at the scammer, not the victim.
7. Finally: if something goes wrong, it goes wrong for a reason
X is full of strange phenomena, but this is a less harmless and more toxic species.
Jos:
- profile shouts ”Finnish”,
- language screams ”generic scam English”,
- and the message screams ”Hello dear I feel deep connection”,
the answer is very simple:
This is not fate guiding you.
This is a bot, a script or an impostor who can only choose a name – not a culture.
And if a friend, relative or follower seems a little too excited about such a ”mysterious Finn abroad”,
throw this text to them.
If even one person cancels a money transfer, clicks a link or sends an intimate photo after reading this,
this little satire just became the best possible favour.