Fraud via WhatsApp: Police warn of false son inquiries in Goch

Fraud via WhatsApp: Police warn of false son inquiries in Goch

in Goch, North Rhine-Westphalia, a 64-year-old woman received a fraudulent message about the WhatsApp messenger service, which she led her into the trap of a so-called "wrong son". The incident occurred on August 21, 2024 when an unknown perpetrator contacted the woman and spent her son. He claimed that he had a new phone number and asked her to pay an invoice in his name because his cell phone and the online banking app did not work properly.

The alleged problems with the cell phone led the woman to address the perpetrator's request, which led to financial damage in the low four -digit amount. This fraud stitch, which is distributed by social networks and messaging services, is increasingly to be observed. In view of such incidents, the police have expressed a haunting warning to the citizens to prevent further victims.

Caution to unknown numbers

The police advised to be suspicious if you are contacted by known people under an unknown number. It is important not to save the number immediately and instead ask the data subject under the known old, old number. Such precautions can prevent people from falling into the fraud trap.

In addition, it is recommended to tighten the security and privacy settings in the intelligence services used. This can help to have fraudsters more difficult to address users. In the event of an unexpected request to transfer money, you should always be skeptical and carefully check the situation.

what to do with suspicion of fraud?

If money has nevertheless been transferred and there is a suspicion that it is a fraud, those affected should contact their bank immediately and arrange for a return transfer. It is also advisable to file a complaint at the local police station, whereby the chat history should never be deleted. This can be of great importance for criminal police investigations.

The popularity of messenger services makes it a particularly attractive goal for fraudsters, since many people use these platforms for personal and confidential conversations. It is of fundamental importance to be aware of the risks and take suitable measures to protect yourself. The police urged the public to be attentive to the public and, if in doubt, rather ask once more than fall victim to a possible fraud.