Wetterau police break up fraud ring: smishing scam revealed!

Wetterau police break up fraud ring: smishing scam revealed!

Recent investigations by the Wetterau criminal police have led to the dismantling of a fraud ring that specialized in the perfidious scam of smishing. On July 15, 2025, more than 60 officers searched a total of ten apartments in Friedberg, Niddatal and Hanau and arrested seven people. Among the suspects is a 23-year-old man from the Wetterau district, who is now in custody. The remaining six people are at large following police action, but investigations against them are ongoing.

The police have proven that the accused have committed at least 20 cases of fraud throughout Germany. The scam was extremely simple, but also extremely insidious: the victims were informed via SMS that their bank details had expired and asked to click a link to update it. The unsuspecting users then ended up on fake websites that look confusingly similar to the official bank websites. Many of them entered their sensitive bank details and passwords there, which gave the perpetrators access to the online bank accounts.

High damage for the victims

The consequences of this fraud are serious: The victims suffered damages in the five to six-figure range as a result of the manipulation. In many cases, the perpetrators prepared transfers and contacted those affected by telephone to ask for the required TAN. These calls appear particularly credible because criminals pose as bank employees and use spoofed phone numbers to gain victims' trust.

In addition to dismantling the fraud ring, the Wetterau criminal police warn against making your own bank account available to third parties - for example as alleged financial agents via social networks. This can have serious criminal consequences and is suspected of money laundering.

Cybercrime in focus

The current wave of cybercrime is alarming. Cyber ​​attacks reportedly accounted for almost 70% of all spam emails last year, with 90% of these emails claiming to come from banks or savings banks. As the banking association explains, criminals are increasingly using personalized phishing emails that contain real information from those affected in order to inspire trust. The goal is clear: access personal data and cause financial damage.

But investigators are not only recording an increase in fraud attempts in the context of smishing. New scams, such as asking for small fees for package deliveries, are also in circulation. The perpetrators are resourceful and use current topics to put pressure on the victims. These developments make constant vigilance essential – especially when it comes to personal banking information.

If in doubt, the police urge you to always contact the bank directly to find out whether a request is genuine. Because as current events show, prevention is the best protection against crime in the digital age.

For more information on this topic and to stay up to date, visit reports from FNP, FFH and the Banking Association.