Messenger fraud – the available figures make it clear how important it is to educate older relatives and friends in particular.
One of the most common methods is to write a message in the name of someone close to the victim, feigning distress and demanding money.
What can you do if you receive this message?
👉 Don't respond to the messages!
👉 Contact the person impersonated here on the real known number!
👉 Under no circumstances transfer any money!
Messenger fraud: fake friends steal millions
Analyzes by the Lower Saxony State Criminal Police Office (LKA) showed that in 2022 there were an average of 765 cases of messenger fraud per month in Lower Saxony. The total damage was over five million euros.
When it comes to messenger fraud or personal messages from an unknown phone number, people usually take a closer look. But then the all-clear - the message comes from a well-known person who has a problem with their cell phone. Really the all-clear? No, because with this scam, perpetrators try to get a lot of money.
Pretending to have a family or friendship relationship
When it comes to messenger fraud, one of the most common methods is pretending to be a family or friend via various messenger apps or SMS. The perpetrators initially send messages that sound plausible, with the aim of getting the person receiving the message to believe it and save it as a contact. Shortly afterwards, problems with online banking are described and help is requested with an important transfer. Sometimes an emergency situation is faked in order to receive a quick money transfer.
To assess and analyze this area of crime, the figures from the input statistics are used, as an evaluation using the police crime statistics (PKS) is not possible. The figures presented here are therefore based on data from ongoing processing in the NIVADIS process processing system. This database is not conclusive and is subject to constant changes, which is why the figures should only be viewed as a guide.
The initial statistics for 2022 show that a monthly average of 765 such cases were reported to the police. In the entire year of 2022, damage of over five million euros (5,000,000) was caused.
Don't respond to such messages!
- The Lower Saxony State Criminal Police Office advises not to react to the news.
- Contact the person being impersonated here by alternative means and don't let the fake chat partners dissuade you.
- Do not overwrite a phone number stored in your address book (e.g. from your daughter or son) with the supposedly new phone number without checking.
- Use another messenger, email traffic or the phone numbers you know to start parallel communication.
- Under no circumstances should you transfer money from your bank account to bank accounts you do not know. In the worst case scenario, the money will no longer be able to be recovered after a short period of time.
If you have fallen for such a scam:
If you have fallen for a messenger scam, please inform your bank first. If necessary, the transfer can still be stopped. Then file a report with your local police station or via the Lower Saxony police online station. Take screenshots of the chat history, the contact and the transfer (with a clearly identifiable receiving account) and bring this data with you when filing the advertisement.
For more information, see:
WhatsApp fraud: The danger of fake friends or family contacts
Mimikama: SAVE, COPY, SHARE!
At this point we have created an image for you that you can copy and forward via WhatsApp. It is intended to protect your parents and grandparents from becoming victims of such a nasty scam.
Source: Lower Saxony State Criminal Police Office
Also read:
Facebook is said to have deliberately emptied users' batteries
Sömmerda: No child abduction with a red van!
Police warn of meter number fraud
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 )