Fake alert alert: These days the internet is full of opportunities – for work, education, entertainment and even investing. But it is also a hotspot for the unscrupulous scammers who are willing to leave no stone unturned to con innocent people out of their hard-earned money. Two such shocking cases recently occurred in Austria, where a 34-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman were taken advantage of by online scammers. What's worse, they were attacked not by anonymous people, but by people posing as employees of trustworthy companies.

The case of the 34-year-old: Fake Amazon employee siphoned off 12,700 euros!

Innocent phone call turns into a nightmare

Our 34-year-old protagonist from the Feldkirch district was involved in a seemingly harmless telephone conversation with an alleged employee of Amazon Web Services ( warning of Amazon fake calls - beware ). The scammer led him to believe his phone had been hacked and directed him to make transactions to undo the supposed damage. This resulted in transfers amounting to over 12,700 euros to various crypto apps. The fake instructions and simulated pressure led the man to believe the threat was real and jeopardized his financial security.

The vicious circle of fakery

It was a perfectly executed scam. The Amazon employee's false identity gained the victim's trust. With the right mix of technical jargon and targeted pressure, the scammer was able to get the victim to transfer money. The fraudster took advantage of the clever use of:

  1. Fear : By claiming the victim's phone had been hacked, he raised immediate concern.
  2. Trust : As a supposed employee of a reputable company, his word was accepted as truth.
  3. False Help : By telling the victim how to fix the supposed problem, the victim was unconsciously tricked into transferring the money.

The case of the 52-year-old: lost 10,000 euros due to the wrong investment platform!

Investing becomes a losing proposition

In a similar but unique case, the 52-year-old woman from the Bludenz district fell victim to an online scam. She stumbled upon what appeared to be an investment platform on Facebook and was tricked into transferring an initial amount to a Lithuanian account. In the hope of high returns, she gave the unknown fraudsters access to her online banking using special software, whereupon 10,000 euros disappeared into a foreign account.

A series of unfortunate events

This scam demonstrated another facet of internet fraud – exploiting the hope of financial gain. Several strategies were used to gain the woman's trust and ultimately get her to transfer the money:

  1. Credible Platform : Presenting a compelling but false investment platform created an image of legitimacy.
  2. Promises of high returns : The prospect of attractive profits enticed the victim to invest.
  3. Access to personal financial information : By accessing online banking, money could be diverted unnoticed.

A happy outcome: 62-year-old escapes attempted fraud

However, amidst the dark clouds of deceit, there was a silver lining. A 62-year-old man who lives in Dornbirn received a payment reminder by email from a financial agency in the amount of 189.15 euros. Since he doesn't speak German, he went to a counseling center, which uncovered the attempted fraud.

Conclusion: It is better to be safe than sorry

In the digital world we live in today, staying alert and informed is more important than ever. Fraudsters are becoming more and more sophisticated in their methods. It is therefore essential to protect yourself against such attacks. Always check the credibility of any calls or messages you receive, especially if they involve financial transactions. Be careful about the information you share online and, if in doubt, do not hesitate to seek professional help.

These incidents in Austria are a sad reminder of how easily even the most vigilant among us can be deceived. They are also a wake-up call for everyone to be careful and aware of online dangers. Let's remember that the Internet is not only about discovering new opportunities, but also about protecting yourself against the risks they bring.


Help us make our online community safer! Download the attached sharepic and share it on your Facebook feed or stories. The more people we can reach with this, the safer our digital world will become. Always remember: think first, then click!

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Sharepic online scam

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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 )