A pensioner (72) from the Rhein-Erft district responded to several WhatsApp messages from her supposed son and repeatedly transferred large sums. Fraudsters repeatedly try to access citizens' savings using false pretexts.
Crime prevention experts advise:
1. Ignore these messages.
2. Do not transfer money.
3. Ask your relatives on the well-known telephone number.
4. Please inform the police immediately.
“The best protection against these crimes is education. The more you know about these scams, the lower the risk of suffering damage. Binding agreements within families are particularly good. If parents or grandparents know that children never ask for money via messenger services, then this considerable financial loss will not occur,” explains District Administrator Frank Rock, head of the district police authority.
Message via the messenger service WhatsApp. The sender claimed to be her son and stated that he had lost his cell phone and therefore had a new phone number
After initial investigations, the injured party received a message via the WhatsApp messenger service on Tuesday afternoon. The sender claimed to be her son and stated that he had lost his cell phone and therefore had a new phone number. Since he couldn't make online transfers with the replacement cell phone, he asked for his mother's help. At his urgent request, the 72-year-old transferred large amounts of money several times. The following day she received messages again and was again asked for support. Here too, the pensioner reacted as the perpetrator wanted and transferred money.
It was only when the real son contacted her on Wednesday afternoon that the fraud was discovered. The victim immediately alerted the police and contacted her bank to contain the damage.
According to the findings of the responsible criminal investigators, the WhatsApp scam almost always works as described here. Most of the time, sons or daughters come forward claiming to have problems with their cell phones in order to justify the unknown phone number. The perpetrators then pose various problems and ask for support by transferring money.
Source: Rhein-Erft District Police
Everything about WhatsApp can be found HERE
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