The criminal investigation department is currently working on a new scam that reaches victims via SMS messages. In these messages, the perpetrators are demanding additional payments of almost 500 euros on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Finance.

At the beginning of June, an SMS message popped up in a household in Schöffengrund. The sender was an Austrian cell phone number starting with “+43” and the originator was listed as the Federal Ministry of Finance. The ministry - according to the text of the message - points out a claim that has not yet been paid and also announces that the household goods will be seized by a bailiff. This seizure can be avoided if the amount is paid via a payment link.
This link takes victims to a false website of the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Here the fraudsters specify their claim for 495.18 euros, grant a payment period of 30 days and provide a bank account number for the transfer. However, the IBAN indicates a Belgian bank (country code: BE).
The Federal Office of Finance generally does not send SMS messages - and especially not from Austria! In addition, the Federal Office does not maintain corresponding accounts in Belgium!
Do not respond to this SMS message or click on the link. The criminal police investigators do not rule out that by activating the link, cell phone data could be spied out or transmitted to the perpetrators.
Source: Central Hesse Police Headquarters
More articles on the topic: fraudulent SMS
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