Fraud scandal in Ravensburg: 32,000 euros for trucks disappeared!

Fraud scandal in Ravensburg: 32,000 euros for trucks disappeared!

A new case of fraud shocks the Ravensburg region and raises questions about security when purchasing online. Leslie Pfisterer returns from her well-deserved vacation and is suddenly confronted with a shocking reality: her entire savings have disappeared. The reason? Her father, managing director of the shipping company L-Trans, fell for a sophisticated scam. While Leslie was enjoying her time at the beach in September, her father received an attractive catalog from Truckstore, a brand known for its used trucks. A supposed seller increased the pressure by claiming that a suitable truck was only available at short notice and would be delivered from Hamburg. Despite Leslie's warning to wait for the purchase, her father finally transferred the considerable sum of 32,000 euros. However, the truck never arrived and through thorough research it was discovered that both the emails and the catalog were fake and the seller's identity was stolen. As Leslie discovered on the truckstore's real website, there were already warnings about the scammers.

The pressure on the family is even greater because the company is closed around the holidays and the wages of the 14 employees have to continue. Leslie was forced to take out an expensive loan to cope with her precarious financial situation. The case was quickly reported to the police and ended up with the public prosecutor's office in Ravensburg. The account holder to whose account the money was transferred was quickly identified. But the fraud case against him was dropped and a new money laundering case was opened instead. It turned out that this account holder had only provided his account and was a victim himself. As Christian Weinbuch, spokesman for the public prosecutor's office, explains, it is often difficult to get the money back because it is usually transferred quickly. “The money often moves from account to account, and the previous account holders often believe that they are acting legitimately,” he adds.

Report to the police

Leslie not only had to deal with the financial consequences, but also had to deal with the bureaucratic process of filing a criminal complaint. A report can be made to the police, public prosecutor's office or a district court, although written, oral or even telephone reports are possible. Important information such as personal details, description of the crime and information about the perpetrator must be provided. The police authority will then carry out the necessary investigations, as the consumer advice center explains. After the report is made, the law enforcement authorities are obliged to investigate the suspicion, although it is not possible to withdraw the report.

Leslie's case is not unique. According to that Federal Criminal Police Office Fraud crime in Germany has fallen by over 224,000 cases since 2010, but there are still a considerable number of cases each year that need to be dealt with. Internet crime is also “slowly but surely” making up a part of these developments. Especially when selling online, you should be aware of your own security and be suspicious if something sounds too good to be true.

Leslie hasn't completely forgiven her father for making the transfer without her consent, but the relationship seems to be slowly improving. However, this incident remains a painful reminder for everyone doing business in the digital world. A few simple security measures could help avoid many potential difficulties, and it is to be hoped that the clearance rate for these frauds will increase in the future.