Minister - Bernhardt urges caution with dubious monetary claims
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Consumer Protection Minister Jacqueline Bernhardt has called for particular caution in the face of telephone and internet fraudsters. "Fraud attempts are becoming increasingly perfidious and varied. Especially now during the Advent season, text messages, WhatsApp messages and emails are popping up to defraud consumers of money," said Bernhardt on Tuesday, explaining her appeal.
There are many indications of such fraudulent messages. According to Wiebke Cornelius, head of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern consumer advice center, the number of inquiries received by the advice centers has more than doubled this year. A widespread method is that the alleged child has a new telephone number and is in an emergency situation, which is why money should be transferred, explained Bernhardt.
According to Interior Minister Christian Pegel (SPD), an international police operation was launched in the past two weeks to combat so-called grandchild fraud. Investigators from all 16 federal states, the Federal Criminal Police Office, Poland, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg were involved. "This concentrated, transnational approach not only made it possible to arrest or contribute to the arrest of various participants in this perfidious form of fraud, but also to shed further light on the internationally operating criminal groups and structures," explained the Minister.
During the campaign period, 27 people were identified throughout Germany who were involved in various ways in grandchild fraud. Material damage of around 4.2 million euros was prevented. Pegel also appealed to people to be suspicious of such demands for money and to seek help from acquaintances or the police.
According to Bernhardt, an increasing number of messages are currently making the rounds that a parcel cannot be delivered because the address is missing. "You need to be particularly careful here, because a lot of parcels are sent in the run-up to Christmas. It's easy to lose track of things and then the trap snaps shut."
Even if you are asked to enter your account details via a link, you need to be extremely careful. "As a rule, a reputable bank will not ask you to disclose account details and similar information via email and links," emphasized Bernhardt and advised people to check with their bank, mail order company or children. Anyone who has nevertheless been defrauded should not hesitate to call the police. In general, a healthy distrust of messages from senders whose numbers are unknown is advisable, emphasized Cornelius.
Read also:
- A clan member is punished here
- Traffic lawyer warns: Don't talk to the police!
- Will he be convicted as Jutta's murderer after 37 years?
- He also wanted to kill his cousin
- Minister Bernhardt urgently warned consumers in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to exercise caution when dealing with suspicious monetary claims received via the Internet, such as emails and WhatsApp messages, as fraud attempts are becoming increasingly sophisticated and numerous during the holiday season.
- Christian Pegel, the Interior Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (SPD), announced that an international police operation was conducted in the past two weeks to combat grandchild fraud, involving investigators from all 16 federal states, the Federal Criminal Police Office, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, and Luxembourg.
- Pegel acknowledged that during this operation, 27 individuals were identified throughout Germany who were involved in various aspects of grandchild fraud, and a significant amount of approximately 4.2 million euros in material damage was prevented.
- Jacqueline Bernhardt, the Consumer Protection Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, emphasized the importance of being cautious when receiving messages stating that a parcel cannot be delivered due to an incomplete address.
- Bernhardt advised people to be extra vigilant amidst the holiday season, as the high volume of parcel deliveries can make it easier for fraudsters to exploit consumers and trick them into providing personal information.
- It is crucial for individuals to thoroughly verify any such claims with their bank, mail-order company, or children before disclosing account details or clicking on provided links, as reputable entities will not request such sensitive information through electronic means.
- If someone falls victim to fraud and ends up losing money, they should contact the police immediately instead of waiting to report it, as acting promptly helps law enforcement investigate and potentially recover stolen funds.
Source: www.stern.de
