Be careful, WhatsApp users: the police warn of a nasty scam – the 66-year-old fell for it
Created: 09/21/2022, 05:40
By: Michelle Brey
Fraudsters try to get money via WhatsApp.
Caution is advised.
© Ritchie B. Tongo/dpa
Fraudsters stole a four-digit amount via WhatsApp.
The police are now advising caution, as something like this "currently happens again and again".
Munich - The so-called "grandchild trick" on the phone or the front door is known to many.
But fraudsters are apparently looking for other ways and means.
WhatsApp seems to be growing in popularity for grandchildren tricks.
After a 66-year-old became a victim of the nasty scam, the police warned.
WhatsApp grandchild trick: 66-year-old falls for it – total in the four-digit range
A woman from Meerbusch in North Rhine-Westphalia was the victim of WhatsApp fraud, according to a press release from the Rhein-Kreis Neuss district police authority.
The crime took place on Friday (September 16, 2022) at around 1:30 p.m.
"She was contacted via WhatsApp by her supposed daughter and asked for money," the statement said.
However, the scammers explained that the message was not sent from the daughter's usual number with a new cell phone number, as reported by the
SZ
, among others .
"The mother classified the request as credible and transferred three sums in the four-digit range." Because of the incident, the police in Neuss near Düsseldorf have now started investigations - and warned of caution.
Police warn urgently about WhatsApp scammers
"Messages with a clearly fraudulent background are currently occurring again and again," read the warning.
A healthy mistrust is advisable in relation to urgent money demands, even if these come from "supposedly known".
"Under no circumstances should you comply with requests for money via text messages - but also on the phone," the police said.
Instead, she advises contacting the person and "convincing yourself that the claim is correct".
In Ebersberg, too, a woman fell for a grandchild trick variant.
She transferred 3,000 euros.
(mbr)
