From the police file – Messenger fraud – Five-figure sum stolen

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On Wednesday (11.09.24) a man from Wettringen fell victim to a messenger scam. The man received a message on his cell phone late in the morning that allegedly came from his son. It said that his cell phone number had changed. The alleged son then asked for bills to be transferred because his account was blocked. The man transferred a mid-four-figure sum of money. After he contacted his son shortly afterwards, the scam was discovered. The police are once again issuing a strong warning against this scam. Here are some tips on how you can protect yourself from it:

• Be suspicious if you receive a message or call that contains a fact or story that seems strange or unbelievable.
• If in doubt, call your relatives using the number you know and check whether the facts described are correct.
• Never respond to requests for money made by strangers via text message on your mobile phone or in person over the phone.
• Have you been a victim of telephone fraud? Report it to the police!
• Have you already transferred money to an unknown account or have amounts been withdrawn from your account? Then contact your bank as soon as possible. In some cases it is possible to stop the transfers or have the money refunded.

Information on other scams and instructions on what to do if fraud has occurred: