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The Dortmund police warn of a new scam on Tiktok that targets young adults. Anyone who falls for this is committing a criminal offense.
Dortmund – Many people are probably familiar with messages like “Hello mom, my cell phone is broken, I have a new number.” This scam is one of the most well-known scams currently in circulation. The victims are supposed to transfer a large sum of money. But in order to cover their own tracks, criminals need a third-party account to receive the money. Young adults in particular are often targeted by fraudsters. The Dortmund police are now expressly warning against making your own bank account available to a stranger. Otherwise there could be serious consequences.
“New form of money laundering” at Tiktok: According to the police, young adults are the focus of fraudsters
In order to gain access to someone else’s account, the fraudsters – often people they know – specifically recruit young people via social media platforms such as Tiktok, Instagram or Snapchat and promise them a small amount of money in return for making their bank account available. These are not exceptional cases, as the Dortmund police explain.
The Dortmund police warn: Fraudsters have recently often used social media platforms such as Tiktok, Instagram or Snapchat to hire uninitiated accomplices. (Symbolic image) © Alicia Windzio/dpa
“The criminal police in Dortmund are currently receiving more and more information about this new form of money laundering,” says a press release. In some cases there are also threats from the perpetrators. Although those recruited are usually not aware that the funds come from fraud, they are guilty of money laundering by simply making their account available. If convicted, you could face a fine or a prison sentence of up to five years.
The Dortmund police also continue: “The perpetrators often tell young adults that they should report it to the police and claim that they have lost their debit card. However, the report should only be filed a few days later so that the account is not blocked immediately and the perpetrators can use it until then.” This also constitutes the offense of feigning a crime.
Serious consequences: What victims of the new scam have to expect
But that’s not enough. The young adults not only commit a criminal offense, but also usually suffer financial damage. “With full access to the account, the perpetrators often not only debit the fraudulently obtained funds, but also steal their own money that was still in the account,” said the police.
Some perpetrators incurred additional costs by ordering goods online at the account holder’s expense. In addition, transfers that have already been made for invoices or rent payments that are due are often reversed in order to maximize profits. The consequence: reminders from the landlord or other companies and the resulting negative Schufa entries. Claims for damages from fraud victims could also follow.
In order to avoid these consequences, the Dortmund police urge you to be particularly careful. “Remain suspicious when you ask strangers for access to your account and under no circumstances give out account details.” Only recently, the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center warned of another scam in which Deutsche Bank customers receive dubious messages. A hasty click can have dire consequences. Postbank customers, on the other hand, recently saw this confronted with a new phishing scam.
