The authors claim that the fraudulent emails come from investigative agencies and often use well-known police logos. In current versions, logos of the Vienna State Police Department and Interpol are used. Some emails even have a QR code and contact persons. – However, they are fakes.

Screenshot of a currently circulating email
Screenshot of a currently circulating email

Phishing attempt and precautions

The Federal Criminal Police Office assumes that these emails are phishing attempts that aim to reveal personal (financial) data or cause financial damage. It is strongly advised not to respond to any demands, even if there is a threat of (false) police action. If you have fallen into the trap, you should report it to the nearest police station.

Danger of malware and protective measures

Any link or attachment in such emails could potentially contain malware. Therefore, they should neither be opened nor followed. It is recommended that you permanently delete such emails.

The return addresses are fake and change regularly. Authorities do not use GMX or other FreeMail addresses!

Recommended crime prevention approach

  • Do not respond to such emails! Neither the police nor reputable companies or institutions request sensitive information via email.
  • Be careful with email attachments: Do not open them under any circumstances, as they often contain malicious programs.
  • Carefully check any letters you receive and do not provide any personal information, do not respond or accept any demands.
  • To ensure secure use of email accounts, complex passwords (at least 9 characters, upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters) as well as regular password changes are recommended.
  • Run regular virus scans and change passwords to best protect yourself.
  • A determination of the facts and, if necessary, a report can be made to a police station. However, reporting is not mandatory.

Source:

Federal Criminal Police Office
This might also be of interest:
Federal Criminal Police Office: Fraudsters disguise themselves as BKA and send fake emails
Austria: Beware of fraudulent passport SMS!
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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )