The police warn of fraud by fake PayPal employees who make online payments via SMS code!
Last Sunday, June 21, 2020, a 61-year-old German from the region filed a report with the police in Ribnitz-Damgarten on suspicion of fraud. An alleged PayPal employee contacted the man by phone and claimed to be carrying out a security check on possible identity theft on his customer account.
For the check, the unknown person on the phone needed an SMS security code, which the 61-year-old was supposed to forward to the suspected fraudster. The perpetrator thus managed to make an online payment, causing the 61-year-old financial loss of around 70 euros. In this context, the police warn of the dubious scam and briefly explain how this fraud takes place.
Identity theft or misuse with the aim of using personal data for fraudulent purposes comes in many different forms. The perpetrators often only need a little information about their victim, such as first and last name, date of birth and address, email address or even just a photo of the person. Social media, for example, is a rich source for obtaining personal information.
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The fraudsters collect additional data such as passwords, account details or security codes (PIN/TAN) via alleged “fake employees” from institutions on the phone or through fake emails. They can later use the security-relevant data to enrich themselves through transfers or debits from accounts or through Internet purchases in the name of their victims.
In the current case, the 61-year-old got the impression that the caller was an actual PayPal employee who was supposedly carrying out a security check on the customer account. The perpetrator used the personal data to request a six-digit security code, which the 61-year-old received via SMS and gave on the phone. This security key is used by financial institutions as an additional means of authentication and works like a type of combination lock that gives access to the customer account. If the fraudsters have this data, they can make online payments on behalf of their victim.
The police advise you to be vigilant:
In social networks or when registering for email services or online shops, you should only provide as much personal data as is absolutely necessary for the registration. In addition, a separate, secure password should be used for each profile on the Internet so that criminals do not have access to other services and profiles in the event of data theft. If data has been stolen, you should immediately check which account the data was accessed from. The affected account should be reset immediately, given a new, secure password and the case reported to the police.
Further information on the safe handling of personal data online can be found on the state and federal police crime prevention website
You might also be interested in: Scam: Payment via “PayPal Friends”
Source: Stralsund Police Department
Article image: Shutterstock / From SpeedKingz
Notes:
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