In Austria, for example, emails from “Gewerbe Datenanzeiger” are circulating that ask people to reveal company data. Ignore the message because if you reply you will be taking out an expensive subscription of €1,992!
Dubious emails in Austria regarding “company directory”
The website werbe-datenanzeiger .at claims to be “Austria’s largest company directory”. In a generic message that will probably be sent en masse, companies are asked to “check their data for basic entry” and to fill out the attached PDF by January 30th. to return. In fact, the operators of the site are trying to deceitfully get companies to take out an expensive subscription. By specifying a deadline, the request to return the form with your own company details appears very urgent.
However, acting hastily in this case can be very expensive! Because: You are being lured into a subscription trap - the small print of this letter states that the registration costs 83 euros per month and runs for at least two years!
The content of the message from Gewerbe Datenanzeiger is as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
In the business data display, only complete and current company and operational data ensure a successful recommendation for businesses and consumers.
Please check the data for the basic entry and send us the
attached PDF by January 30, 2023 for processing and completion if accepted.
Kind regards,
your business data display team
What is behind the message from Gewerbe-Datenanzeiger?
The message from “Gewerbe Datenanzeiger” is probably an attempted fraud. The email message currently being sent to some businesses claims that only “complete and up-to-date company and operational information will ensure a successful recommendation for business owners and consumers.” Furthermore, the recipients are asked to check and complete their company data. A form that has already been filled out with some company details will be sent along. The completed form can then be signed, either scanned to the email address “verwaltung@gewerbe-daten-anzeiger.at” or sent back as a fax. Specifying a deadline also conveys particular urgency.

But this message is an attempt at deception and the deliberate hiding of contractual terms. If you send this form back signed, you will fall into a subscription trap. In addition, it is unclear who receives your data!
Important: Never give out data without thinking! Always check why your data is being requested and ensure that a provider is serious. Researching on the internet can be very informative! Don't let deadlines put you under pressure!
Have you signed and returned the form?
- Watch out for unfounded payment requests and invoices
You may receive an invoice in the near future. But we advise: Don't pay anything! This letter violates the federal law against unfair competition (UWG). This law states in Section 28a: “It is prohibited to advertise or use payment slips, payment slips, invoices, correction offers or similar in commercial transactions for competition purposes for entries in directories, such as industry, telephone or similar registers To offer entries directly in this way, without clearly and unmistakably indicating that it is merely a contractual offer.”
This letter is therefore unlawful. We recommend that you ignore payment requests.
- Be careful before making further contact attempts
Remember: it is very likely that you will continue to be contacted. Don't let this intimidate you. Try to prevent contact attempts and block the phone number! Emails and letters can simply be ignored!
- Demand your money back
If you have already transferred money, request the amounts back. Since the companies are often based abroad, the demands may be difficult to enforce. However, you can definitely file a criminal complaint with the police.
Such letters are also circulating in Germany
The Märkischer Kreis police authority reports on a current case
A Lüdenscheider had founded a GmbH some time ago and was now expecting the invoice for the commercial register entry from the court. In fact, an invoice arrived at his office on Monday, which even had his commercial register number on it. So he transferred the money. The fact that the sum was supposed to go to a Lithuanian account did not arouse his suspicions.
But the Lüdenscheider was lucky: the transfer didn't work. On Wednesday he received a warning letter from the judiciary about the false invoices. That's why he filed a police report on the same day.
Article image: Watchlist Internet
Source:
Watchlist Internet
Also interesting: Police warn about multiple phishing cases in combination with calls from alleged Sparkasse employees.
– Police warn of fake messages and calls from supposed savings bank employees
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