Be careful: online banking scams hit Irxlevenerin!

Be careful: online banking scams hit Irxlevenerin!

On November 6, 2025, a scandalous incident occurred in Irxleben in which a 65-year-old woman became the victim of a perfidious fraud. She received a call from what was supposed to be a bank employee who told her about unauthorized transfers in her account. In a conversation lasting several hours, the perpetrator managed to obtain personal data through clever conversation and arrange several transfers in the mid-six-figure range. The police strongly warn against disclosing sensitive data over the phone and remind people that banks generally do not call unsolicited. It is recommended to be suspicious of such calls and to interpret unsolicited passwords or TANs as attempted fraud. If someone falls into a similar trap, their account should be blocked immediately and a report filed. If in doubt, it is advisable to end the conversation and contact the police or relatives for support.

But not only in Irxleben, but also nationwide, the number of cases of fraud in online banking is increasing worryingly. That's what she reported SWR that more and more criminal groups are relying on modern technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to gain trust from their victims. This technique allows fraudsters to imitate the voices of family members or bank employees in order to increase the pressure on their victims. The method used by scammers over the phone is called “vishing” and often creates panic and pressure, leading to quick, rash decisions. An example is the case of Ralf Schorn from Stuttgart, who - pressured by a phone call - revealed his password and was cheated out of 21,000 euros.

The need for vigilance

Experts advise always maintaining a healthy dose of skepticism when receiving unexpected calls and, if necessary, checking the identity of the caller. Suspicious debits should be reported to the bank immediately so that the account can be blocked as quickly as possible. According to the PwC Financial service providers urgently need higher security measures and must regularly inform their customers about various forms of fraud, such as phishing, vishing and smishing. Because it's not just older people who are the target of such perfidious scams; More and more younger people are also being affected, which increases the level of alert.

Banks are under pressure to continually improve their security measures. New regulatory requirements, such as PSD 3 and the Payment Service Regulation, formulate much tougher guidelines to combat such fraud. Technical and organizational measures need to be consolidated as pressure grows on financial services providers to recognize and respond to customer needs. Advanced technologies are essential to detect and prevent fraudulent activities at an early stage.

Burglary in Barleben

In the early morning of November 7, 2025, the security forces in Barleben were kept on their toes. Unknown perpetrators broke into a shop on Thiemplatz. They forcibly gained access through the sliding door and stole tobacco products from the checkout area before fleeing in an unknown direction with the loot. Witnesses who made suspicious observations during the period in question are asked to contact the Börde police station on 03904/478-0.

The current incidents in Irxleben and Barleben show once again that fraud in online banking and criminal activities in brick-and-mortar retail are not just hypothetical scenarios. Stay vigilant and regularly inform yourself about common scams to protect yourself and your money.