A sophisticated phishing campaign is targeting rail passengers in Poland, with fraudsters pretending to be PKP Intercity and offering compensation for previous train delays, according to Spider’s Web – technologie.
The scam messages inform recipients that they are entitled to a refund for a delayed journey in the past. For anyone who has experienced Poland’s often-unpunctual rail service, the promise may sound plausible enough to lower their guard.
However, PKP Intercity has warned that the messages are fraudulent. The company is not sending such texts and the links lead to fake websites designed to harvest personal information, login details and payment card data.
How to spot the scam
Several warning signs betray the fraudulent nature of the messages. The sender is identified only as “Intercity” rather than the full official name “PKP Intercity”. The content is vague, mentioning a “delayed journey in the past” without specifying dates, amounts or journey details.
The embedded link does not resemble the carrier’s official website address. Anyone who clicks through and enters personal or financial information risks having their data stolen and potentially used for identity theft or unauthorised transactions.
“This is an attempt at fraud involving impersonation of our company and phishing for data,” PKP Intercity said in an official statement. The operator has urged passengers to exercise caution, avoid clicking the link, refrain from entering any personal or payment information, and delete the message.
The scammers have designed the ruse to exploit public frustration with delayed trains. By casting a wide net, they are likely to reach people who have indeed experienced delays and might therefore believe they are owed compensation.
Real compensation does exist
Despite the prevalence of jokes and scepticism in social media comments, passengers genuinely are entitled to compensation for significant delays under European Union law. Article 19 of EU regulation 2021/782 on rail passenger rights sets out the framework, according to Poland’s Office of Rail Transport (Urząd Transportu Kolejowego).
Passengers can claim 25 per cent of their single ticket price for delays of between 60 and 119 minutes, and 50 per cent for delays of 120 minutes or more. The compensation applies only if the value exceeds a minimum threshold set by the carrier, which cannot be more than €4. PKP Intercity currently sets this threshold at 16 złoty.
Carriers may refuse compensation if the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances beyond their control—such as extreme weather, natural disasters, passenger behaviour, sabotage, terrorism, theft of infrastructure, or police intervention—provided the operator can demonstrate it took all reasonable care.
Legitimate claims should be submitted through the official channels listed on the carrier’s website, not via unsolicited links sent by text or email.
What this means for Poles in the UK
Poles living in the UK who travel back to Poland for family visits or holidays may receive these scam messages, particularly if their Polish mobile number is still active or if fraudsters are using databases of Polish phone numbers. Anyone who clicks the link and enters payment details risks losing money and having their identity compromised.
If you receive a message claiming to be from PKP Intercity or any other transport operator offering unexpected refunds, do not click any links. Instead, visit the official PKP Intercity website directly by typing the address into your browser, or contact the company through verified customer service channels.
Check your bank and credit card statements regularly for unauthorised transactions. If you have already clicked a suspicious link and entered personal information, contact your bank immediately and consider changing passwords for online accounts. Report the scam to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre, at actionfraud.police.uk.
Remember that legitimate compensation claims for train delays require you to initiate contact with the operator, not the other way round. Any unsolicited message promising money should be treated with suspicion and deleted.
