Fraud on the Internet: Transfer fraudsters devastate the lake plate!

Fraud on the Internet: Transfer fraudsters devastate the lake plate!

Mecklenburgische Seenplatte, Deutschland - In the past few months, a worrying trend has established itself in the Mecklenburg Lake District district: transfer fraud is booming. In the first half of 2025, the police recorded over 130 ads, which increases the danger to consumers in online marketplaces enormously. Fraudsters use platforms such as classified ads, Vinted and Facebook to move unsuspecting buyers into their network. Damaged reports of non -delivered articles, including garden tools, clothing and furniture. Buyers of cars have made it particularly violently, some of whom have made high down payments of up to 40,000 euros without receiving a vehicle. Overall, the damage amounts to at least 100,000 euros, such as we are Müritzer reported.

A common pattern of the fraudsters is that they urge sellers to make transfers to certain IBANs or to request payments via PayPal without buyer protection. It is even recommended that buyers should take over the fees for buyer protection in order to at least catch a spark of security. "The criminals often attract their victims with small repayments to gain trust," said the police. Unfortunately, this behavior is also not an isolated case: the area of the investment fraud is not only about fake goods, but also about considerable financial losses due to illegal business in connection with cryptocurrencies. In such a case, a man from Ueckermünde has lost around 100,000 euros in supposed agents. A woman from Friedland is reported with a loss of around 40,000 euros by crypto fraud.

Caution when buying online

The increase in fraud cases leads to a clear police appeal: it advises to thoroughly examine providers before buying. Reviews and commercial register entries should always be picked up to minimize possible risks. "We do not want to advise against online purchases, we want to remind you to caution," said a police spokesman.

The characters stand on the alarm in the digital world, not only in the area of classic online fraud. Bafin, the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, also warns of fraudulent financial transactions, which often begin harmless but can quickly mislead. The bafin emphasizes that unable to call or tempting offers are often dubious via email. A good example are fictional people who come up with tempting offers, but turn out to be a fraudster.

how to protect yourself

What can consumers do to protect themselves? The Bafin advises not to make decisions under pressure and check all information before investing or transfers money. This also includes not opening links in suspicious emails and contacting the bank directly in case of doubt. In the case of suspicious activities, you should immediately inform your own bank, block the card and file a complaint.

The combination of online trading and loss of trust requires a good dose of mindfulness. Consumers are well advised to be aware of their rights and the dangers that lurk on the Internet. After all, it is better to check too much than once too little.