Fraud in Döbeln: 70-year-old victim of fake bank employees!

Fraud in Döbeln: 70-year-old victim of fake bank employees!

In Döbeln, a 70-year-old woman recently became the victim of a perfidious scam that could certainly affect many of us. On a Friday, the lady received a call from what was supposed to be a bank employee. He claimed that unauthorized transfers were pending from her account abroad and put the woman under massive pressure by demanding her online banking details. Tragically, but not unusual these days, the caller even remotely accessed her computer so that the woman carried out several TAN procedures via her bank app. Like the news portal View reported, she later discovered that unlawful transfers amounting to several thousand euros had already been made.

In this context, the police make it clear which advice is particularly important. Distrust of calls from “bank employees” is essential. In addition, sensitive data and especially online banking access data should never be disclosed. “Don’t let yourself be put under pressure,” is the recommendation. If you are unsure about a call, it is better to end the conversation immediately and ask the bank yourself how and when contact should take place.

Protection against cyber fraud

Protection against such brazen attempts at fraud is the be-all and end-all. The consumer advice center warns in a comprehensive article that the European Payment Services Directive has brought new security regulations into force since September 14, 2019. Thanks to the Second Payment Services Directive (PSD2), online payments now require stricter measures. An additional security procedure, such as a transaction number (TAN), which is sent to the mobile phone, is now mandatory. Additional protection is provided by the two independent factors of identification consisting of knowledge, possession or inherence, such as password and fingerprint. This is intended to better protect both retailers and consumers from card fraud, according to information from Consumer advice center.

The numbers speak for themselves: around 67% of Germans use online banking, and around every third spam email contains a phishing attempt. Psychological tricks that fraudsters use are extremely perfidious. They manipulate trust and pressure to get victims to enter sensitive data. Sometimes there are even targeted calls known as vishing (voice phishing) in which fraudsters pose as bank employees. Like the lawyer page Lawyer.de shows, it is important for banks to communicate clear security guidelines and to promote insight and awareness among customers.

So what can each individual do to protect themselves? One of the simplest rules is: Be suspicious of calls or emails from banks and never click on links in suspicious messages. Enable two-factor authentication and check your statements regularly. If you suspect fraud, you should contact the bank immediately and have your account blocked. This way you can avoid unpleasant surprises and be safer on the internet.