Wave of fraud in Wilhelmshaven: Police warn of dangerous shock calls!

Wave of fraud in Wilhelmshaven: Police warn of dangerous shock calls!

In the last few days, an unpleasant phenomenon has been spreading in Wilhelmshaven and Friesland: more and more people are experiencing shock calls and blackmail emails that are putting them in great distress. The police expressly warn against these fraudsters who are after their victims' money. Loud NWZonline The attackers are particularly bold by pretending to be relatives or police officers and reporting serious traffic accidents or other dramatic emergencies.

In this way, those called are led to believe that their help is urgently needed in order to escape an alleged prison sentence. Under pressure from this shocking information, fraudsters demand large amounts of money to pay “deposits.” In a frightening case, a 69-year-old man handed over more than 50,000 euros and Krugerrand gold coins to a woman who approached him at the town hall square. This person had a southern appearance, had shoulder-length dark brown hair and was wearing a pink sweater and white pants.

The fraudster's scam

The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) also pointed out this background in a report from May 2023. The masterminds behind these schemes do everything in their power to coerce their victims. Often, multiple callers pose as relatives or employees of government institutions while increasing the stress on the victim. This tactic aims to provoke rash actions by putting emotional and financial pressure on people. Amounts of up to 100,000 euros are not uncommon, and during the handovers, other collectors usually appear in order to increase the pressure on those affected, like this BKA website reported.

The police therefore recommend hanging up immediately on such calls and not disclosing any personal information. The request for payment should not be followed - anyone involved in such a case should contact local police stations immediately.

Blackmail via email

But the audacity of the fraudsters doesn't stop there. They also have blackmail emails claiming that the victim was filmed while masturbating. These messages often appear as if they are coming from the victim's own email address, a technique known as email spoofing. The blackmailers demand an amount in Bitcoin to prevent the supposed recordings from being published. The police strongly advise you to mark such emails as spam and file a report.

What is particularly shocking is that criminals also infect computers with viruses to access personal data and create webcam recordings. It is therefore important to always use up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spam software and to activate two-factor authentication.

The security authorities are relying on the population to remain well informed and vigilant. The police also emphasize that those affected should definitely come forward so that this fraud can be stopped. Anyone who receives suspicious calls or falls victim to such schemes can also contact the “WEISSER RING” on 116 006 for support.