Account cleared: "I thought I'd be hit" - Helmut wasn't any help to the bank
Created: 01/14/2023 07:11
By: Mathias Weinzierl
Helmut Wilhelm's account at the DKB was blocked in mid-November after dubious transfers.
Only now did he find out how much money the perpetrators had cleared away.
Kolbermoor – The shock message came by email.
His bank, DKB AG, informed Helmut Wilhelm that two transfers had been created for his account.
One in the amount of 91,000 euros to an account in Spain and another 14,000 euros to an account in Italy.
In another email, the bank informed the 66-year-old from Kolbermoor in the Rosenheim district that a new mobile device had been registered for the release of orders via the TAN procedure.
Account cleared: Oberbayer had saved money for years – the bank does not help
“I thought I was going to get a blow,” says Wilhelm.
First, the bank drew the right conclusions.
In the first email, she wrote that for security reasons, the transfers will be credited back to the account if the 66-year-old does not confirm the transaction within two days.
Wilhelm immediately contacted the bank by telephone.
An employee informed him that three further debits totaling 34,800 euros had been received.
Wilhelm had the account blocked and called the police.
But that was not the end of his nightmare.
Victim of fraudsters: Helmut Wilhelm lost 34,800 euros.
His bank DKB was no help to him.
© Weinzierl
To this day, the debits give him sleepless nights.
For weeks, the 66-year-old didn't know whether the money from the first two transfers had actually been returned or whether there had been any other fraudulent transactions.
Due to the account blocking, he no longer had access.
Wilhelm had saved the money for years to have a carefree retirement.
He is more than disappointed with his bank.
Because he didn't get any information over the phone.
He had to put questions in writing, but he still didn't get an answer.
Attempts to make contact by phone often end up on hold.
Helmut Wilhelm wants to part with his DKB cards soon.
He's going to switch banks.
© Imago/symbol image
Bank accused of handling online banking fraud
DKB, which is a subsidiary of BayernLB, did not even fulfill his request for an account statement.
Janett Moll, a Rosenheim lawyer specializing in banking and capital markets law, can only shake his head.
"To be honest, I've never experienced anything like it." She represents Wilhelm and sent the DKB a board complaint about how to deal with online banking fraud in early December.
She threatened to sue Wilhelm if he didn't get the information by mid-December.
Three days after the end of the period, an e-mail came from the DKB asking for an extension of the period until mid-January.
Timely processing is not possible due to increased sick leave and the upcoming public holidays.
Moll filed a lawsuit.
And for Helmut Wilhelm the sleepless nights continued.
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The fraudsters stole a total of 34,800 euros
"It's a strange feeling when you don't know for weeks what damage the scammers have caused," he says.
The anxious wait finally came to an end a few days ago.
Wilhelm received new access data from the bank and was able to get an overview.
The fraudsters had successfully debited 34,800 euros from his account.
The 66-year-old is nevertheless relieved.
"You could have emptied the whole account." The DKB explains in a letter with a recipient data block why some transfers were made and others were blocked.
Not even the lawyer Janett Moll can do anything with that.
The bank is to blame: Oberbayer hopes that they will pay for the damage
For them, the fault clearly lies with the bank.
Especially since she received a similar case in which the DKB behaved similarly.
She is confident of winning the lawsuit.
The DKB would have to prove that Wilhelm is responsible for the transfers and the changes to the TAN settings.
Kolbermoorer also hopes that the bank will pay for the damage "down to the last cent".
He will change banks.
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