In recent weeks and months, we have been receiving reports of so-called Messenger scams on an almost daily basis.
The victim first receives a message via Messenger (SMS) from an unknown telephone number. The content of this message reads: "Hi mom, I have a new cell phone. Please save the new number!". The contact via the chat continues - and the victim is promptly asked to make a bank transfer for the alleged child, as they no longer have online banking data due to the new cell phone and cannot carry out the transfer themselves. The promise: The money transferred would of course be paid back quickly. However, none of this is true. Further information on the messenger scam can be found at the link: https://polizei.nrw/sites/default/files/2023-08/230801_praventionshinweis_messenger_betrug.pdf
The scams used by telephone fraudsters are now also very varied and reports of various scams are filed almost daily.
The perpetrators of so-called telephone scams are increasingly trying to build up massive emotional pressure on the people they call.
For example, it is the crying granddaughter who is involved in a traffic accident and needs financial support to avoid losing her driver's license or to settle the damage caused. Recently, this has also been coupled with a fake police officer who confirms the statements made by the fake granddaughter and emphasizes once again that the person called is subject to a duty of confidentiality and must not tell anyone about it under any circumstances.
In some cases, and certainly also due to the high emotional pressure built up, even people who are otherwise not very gullible fall for these scams.
Sometimes they do tell a person (family member, bank employee) who, in the best case scenario, recognizes the fraud and can prevent it.
In other cases, the attempted fraud also starts on the phone, but has a completely different tactic.
The option of placing an advertisement in a local newspaper under the "Classifieds" section is often still used by older citizens.
Scammers take advantage of this and respond to such advertisements. They initially pretend to be interested in the offer. They just happen to be in the area and seek a personal conversation. During the "nice" negotiations, they say they are also interested in jewelry and ask specifically for it.
Under a pretext, they only appear to leave the house briefly (to go to the toilet, etc.) The perpetrators use this time to steal the homeowners' jewelry and cash. They then ring the doorbell again and end the sales pitch.
In some cases, the victims only notice much later that jewelry and cash have been missing since this "visit". In recent weeks, the perpetrators once managed to rob an elderly couple of their jewelry. We are aware of two other cases in which the people who filed the reports became suspicious in good time and the perpetrators were unsuccessful.
So here is another reminder:
Do not let people you do not know into your house or apartment for so-called door-to-door sales and contracts! Actually conduct such transactions at the front door!
Do not give any information about existing jewelry, either on the phone or at the door!
Call the police if such a "deal" seems strange to you!
The fact that the perpetrators are able to use foreign telephone providers to show any number on the called party's display - including 110 - is particularly brazen.
If you see the number 110 on your display, possibly with an area code, this is not a call from the police. The number 110 never appears on your display when the police call.
End such a call immediately! Hanging up is not rude!
If you receive such a call or a similar call, inform the police!
Talk to friends and relatives about this scam and make them aware of it!