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Beware of fraud! Senior citizen cheated out of five-figure deposit via online call!
In Steinfurt, police and consumer advice centers warn of fraudulent calls that specifically put older people under pressure.
Beware of fraud! Senior citizen cheated out of five-figure deposit via online call!
Recently, dangerous cases of fraud have repeatedly occurred in Cologne and the surrounding area, in which the perpetrators pose as officials and demand sensitive data or money from the victims. A particularly perfidious incident that shows how sophisticated fraudsters operate recently took place in Lengerich.
There a man received a call from the alleged Osnabrück public prosecutor. The fake officers told him that his daughter had been involved in a fatal traffic accident and was in custody. In order to get her released, a five-figure bail was required. The caller even knew the names of the daughter and other family members. This is no coincidence: fraudsters often use information about relatives to gain trust and put their victims under pressure. Loud wn.de The injured party was put under pressure to hand over the money to the district court in Dülmen. On the way there, he briefly contacted his second daughter, but was no longer available after that because the fraudsters disturbed him with a continuous phone call.
The psychology of fraudsters
The perpetrators' approach shows how sophisticated they are in adapting not only their techniques but also their psychological manipulations. Older people are often the target of these scammers. During the calls, they add that reputable officials do not ask for cash to be handed over over the phone. In such cases, the police recommend hanging up immediately and contacting the police or a trusted person. In the Lengerich case, the daughter took immediate action and informed the police - an important step that anyone who encounters such fraud should take immediately.
As the consumer advice center reports in detail, fraudsters use various tactics to outsmart their victims. For example, they impersonate callers from “Europol” or “Interpol” or pretend to be police officers in order to obtain money or sensitive account data. Such calls often come from unknown or anonymous numbers, which are intended to weaken mistrust right from the start. Creating trust is a core strategy used by fraudsters to get their victims to hand over their valuables or money.
Fraud through the ages
The fraudsters' methods are varied and adapt to the circumstances. Loud consumer protection.tv Current scams include shock calls in which perpetrators pose as police officers or doctors and ask for bail or fines. Another interesting scam is “quishing”, where fake QR codes lead to fraudulent websites. This gives criminals the opportunity to become active via digital channels.
To protect yourself, it is crucial to think critically and exercise vigilance. If you receive a strange phone call, you should never reveal any personal or financial information. If in doubt, it is better to ask more questions and, in an emergency, contact the police. It is particularly important to report such incidents so that other fraudsters can be caught more quickly.
In view of the incidents, we should all sharpen our senses and sensitize each other. It is of the utmost importance that we stand together as a community and show distrust towards frivolous requests. This is the only way we can defend ourselves against the fraudsters.