Hints to Recovery scams & new methods of scams

[IceFM]

More and more cases: What's behind the "recovery scam" fraud

The consumer advice centers are currently warning of a scam: so-called “recovery scams” ​​specifically target people who have already fallen victim to investment fraud. The fraudsters promise to get back lost money - and instead cause further financial damage.

The consumer advice centers are currently warning of a scam: so-called “recovery scams” ​​specifically target people who have already fallen victim to investment fraud. The fraudsters promise to get back lost money - and instead cause further financial damage.

Criminals use different ways to find their victims:

[*]Gezielte Ansprache über bestehende Daten: Häufig sind es dieselben Betrüger, die bei ihren Opfern doppelt zuschlagen. Sie verfügen über alle Kontaktdaten und wissen genau, wie viel die Betroffenen bei dem Anlagebetrug verloren haben. So wechseln die Kriminellen leicht die Seite und werden zum vermeintlich helfenden Recovery-Dienst.

[*]Gezielte Ansprache über bestehende Daten: Häufig sind es dieselben Betrüger, die bei ihren Opfern doppelt zuschlagen. Sie verfügen über alle Kontaktdaten und wissen genau, wie viel die Betroffenen bei dem Anlagebetrug verloren haben. So wechseln die Kriminellen leicht die Seite und werden zum vermeintlich helfenden Recovery-Dienst.

[*]Gezielte Ansprache über bestehende Daten: Häufig sind es dieselben Betrüger, die bei ihren Opfern doppelt zuschlagen. Sie verfügen über alle Kontaktdaten und wissen genau, wie viel die Betroffenen bei dem Anlagebetrug verloren haben. So wechseln die Kriminellen leicht die Seite und werden zum vermeintlich helfenden Recovery-Dienst.


The bait: Apparently professional help

In order to appear serious, the fraudsters appear with seemingly watertight contracts - and numerous promises. But the catch comes quickly: payment has to be made before the alleged experts take action.
In order to appear serious, the fraudsters appear with seemingly watertight contracts - and numerous promises. But the catch comes quickly: payment has to be made before the alleged experts take action.

How can you protect yourself?

Consumer advocates and the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) strongly advise victims of investment fraud not to respond to unsolicited offers of help. Instead, they recommend filing a police report immediately and contacting your own bank. In some cases, transfers can be stopped or reversed.

https:/ /web.de/magazine/ratgeber/finanzen-verbraucher/faelle-steckt-recovery-scam-betrug-40574594

[IceFM]

Fraud victims just wanted to help: Police warn of two nasty new scams

Die Methoden von Kriminellen sind so raffiniert geworden, dass niemand mehr vor Betrug gefeit ist.

Update from January 20th: The police warn of two new scams: criminals pose as tourists in need and ask for money, in other cases they introduce themselves as new neighbors - and are then never seen again, nor are the valuables that they take with them.

In both cases reported by the dpa, criminals shamelessly exploited their victims' helpfulness and politeness. Last week in Markkleeberg (near Leipzig), a stranger asked a 22-year-old in front of a shopping center to withdraw 1,000 euros for him because he was unable to do so himself. He would transfer the amount to him immediately, and as proof he showed him the alleged transfer via the bank app. The 22-year-old realized too late that he had not received any money.

A similar thing happened to a man and a woman in Leipzig on the same day, who lost a large sum of money after a stranger cleverly convinced them of his plight. The police are investigating a connection between the crimes and warn that there are technical ways to fake transfers. Showing it on the phone is not reliable proof that money was actually transferred.

In Munich, on the other hand, a gang of men and women stole jewelry and cash from several apartments since the end of September: They posed as new neighbors and were politely invited into the apartment by the mostly older people. There they then stole from their victims. The police are aware of 18 such cases so far. A few days ago, investigators were able to arrest two suspects - a 20-year-old from Heidelberg and a 22-year-old from Ludwigshafen.

https:/ /web.de/magazine/ratgeber/finanzen-verbraucher/betrugsopfer-helfen-polizei-warnt-maschen-40529426

[IceFM]

Shock call recognized immediately? The fraudsters' next move is tough

Update from January 17th: Healthy mistrust is the best weapon against fraud. A woman in the Upper Palatinate initially proved exactly that when she received a shock call from a supposed lawyer and reacted the way the police always recommend: the story that the daughter-in-law had caused an accident and now needed money for the deposit while the son I'm having emergency surgery, she doesn't believe it, hangs up and calls her son directly. It becomes clear that everything is made up and she was dealing with fraudsters.

But late in the evening the story continues disastrously: a fake policewoman calls and claims that the person she called can help catch the criminals. She convinces the woman to hand over valuables to someone collecting them so that the police can take action. This time the story seemed credible to the woman, she agreed to it - and lost several thousand euros.

Fake police officers

[*] In the fraud case described, criminals have further developed the common scam of the "fake policeman", which has long been available at the front door: the doorbell rings, the man in front of the door pretends to be a police officer who, for example, warns about break-ins in the neighborhood and returns valuables want to take security into custody. On the phone, fraudsters often trick those they call into believing that Europol or Interpol is investigating them. They ask their victims to transfer money to overseas accounts or cryptocurrency accounts. During such fraudulent calls, the well-known emergency number 110 often appears on the callee's display.[/i]

The local police classify the case - after a shocking call, supposed investigators come forward - as a new variant of telephone fraud. According to the Upper Palatinate Presidium, the handover took place on January 11th around 1:00 a.m. in Sulzburg in Mühlhausen. The person collecting the goods was around 1.70 meters tall and slim. He was wearing dark clothing and a cap. The Criminal Police Inspectorate is asking the public for information on 0941/506-2888.

https:/ /web.de/magazine/ratgeber/finanzen-verbraucher/betrugsopfer-helfen-polizei-warnt-maschen-40529426

[IceFM]

Why scammers are now asking for photos as part of the “grandchild trick”.

from Antonia Fuchs

Many people have already been warned about the grandchild trick. Nevertheless, he regularly lures victims into a trap. Fraudsters are constantly changing it - consumer advocates are now describing a new twist.

"Hello mom, this is my new number" - many people already recognize the fraudulent intent behind such messages. Often the text goes like this: "Can you save this number and write it on WhatsApp when you see it?"

The criminals' scam: The number is saved under the child's name and the correspondence continues on WhatsApp. It doesn't take long before the child describes an emergency situation that makes him urgently need money. The surprised fraud victims want to get out of trouble via instant transfer and get rid of their money.

Trick: “Unfortunately I lost all the photos on my cell phone”

The scam is known as a “grandchild trick” not only via text messages, but also on the phone - although grandparents are far from the only ones who fall for it.

The consumer protection portal "Watchlist Internet" is now describing a new twist on the scam: The fraudsters slip into the role of the child and, in the course of the casual chats, come up with a story about what happened to the old cell phone - for example, it fell into the toilet and have water damage. Soon the question to the father or mother follows: "Do you have any photos of me? Because I've lost everything."


How to react correctly

It can be assumed that the fraudsters are using the photos for further criminal purposes. For example, you can create fake profiles on social networks in no time. Under no circumstances should you send money, photos or other information.

If you receive such messages, it is best to contact the person concerned directly on the old number. And that's even if you think you're even talking on the phone to the child: Fraudsters are now using AI tools to clone voices. So even if you hear the voice of a relative on the phone asking for money, for example, you have to remain suspicious.
If you receive such messages, it is best to contact the person concerned directly on the old number. And that's even if you think you're even talking on the phone to the child: Fraudsters are now using AI tools to clone voices. So even if you hear the voice of a relative on the phone asking for money, for example, you have to remain suspicious.

According to "Watchlist Internet", it can be helpful to ask the caller personal questions to which outsiders cannot know the answer. In case of doubt, fraudsters could be exposed immediately.

https:/ /web.de/magazine/ratgeber/finanzen-verbraucher/enkeltrick-betrueger-fragen-neuerdings-fotos-39924188