Recently there were even attempts at fraud with calls in the name of the Hessian State Criminal Police Office. The police are warning about this scam.

When the phone rings and a computer voice says that the call is from Europol or Interpol and that you yourself are involved in a crime, citizens should sit up and take notice. The reason is a scam that is currently spreading nationwide. In Hesse, too, the police have registered a large number of attempted and sometimes completed fraudulent acts of this type in recent weeks.

Fraudsters are after money and information

The scam itself is not new, but rather an adaptation of the “false police officer” phenomenon, in which fraudsters pose as officials in order to feign seriousness and gain the trust of their victims. Apart from that, the fraudsters are usually after money and valuables or information about personal and financial circumstances in order to prepare for later crimes.

This is also the case with the scam currently circulating. The person called is usually told by a recorded message in English that the call is coming from Interpol or Europol. This is followed by information that there is a problem with the identity or ID of the person being called, so the person being called should press a number to be connected to a police officer. In the case of calls from fake employees of the Hessian State Criminal Police Office, the fraudsters' approach is similar - but the announcement is in German.

Don't be fooled by the number on the display

When making calls, the perpetrators sometimes use a special technical procedure, so the victims are shown a telephone number that actually belongs to the Hessian State Criminal Police Office, Europol or Interpol. This is so-called “Call ID Spoofing”. Those you are calling should not be confused by the fact that the numbers are the same. It is important to know that the police - including the Hessian State Criminal Police Office, Europol and Interpol - never ask citizens to transfer money.

The Hessian State Criminal Police Office advises:

  • Don't allow yourself to be drawn into a conversation or put under pressure.
  • Do not follow callers' requests and do not press any buttons. Instead, just hang up. Don't call the number back.
  • Never discuss personal or financial circumstances with strangers.
  • Never hand over money to someone you don't know. Do not transfer money if you are not sure who the recipient is.
  • Talk to your family or other trusted people about the call.
  • Report it to the police if you have been the victim of fraud or someone has attempted to fraud you.
  • Research the telephone number of the police station on your own. Then dial the number yourself, do not use the callback button.
  • You can find further important and helpful tips on the homepage of the Hessian police and the state and federal police crime prevention departments .

This might also be of interest: Fraud after incorrect savings bank SMS

Source: Press portal


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