Cases have become known in neighboring towns in the Rhine district of Neuss in which fraudsters are adapting their scams to the current situation. The police and district administration are therefore warning against the new phenomenon of "fake employees from health authorities".
If strangers come to your home, always be suspicious. Do not let strangers into your home, but ask them to show you the official ID of the authority representatives.
The Rhein-Kreis health authority states that employees who may contact you in "corona matters" will never ask for personal data (account details, etc.). They will also never offer to disinfect your money! If you are asked by strangers on the phone about your financial circumstances or the location of valuables, always be suspicious and end the call.

In general, there is an increase in attempted fraud in connection with the coronavirus.
The Federal and State Police Crime Prevention Program (ProPK) provides up-to-date information on coronavirus-related crimes. This includes, for example, fraud at the front door or over the phone as well as various scams on the internet.

Specific information on fraud attempts in connection with Covid-19 can also be found in the top right-hand corner.

Fraudulent calls are made time and again in which the perpetrators pretend to be the granddaughter or grandson of the person called. They deliberately take their victims by surprise: "Guess who's here...?" If you respond, the scammers soon have the right name, build up trust and then quickly move on to the actual topic: you urgently need money...and whether your grandma or grandpa doesn't have some cash at home? But you would have to send a friend to collect it.

+++ ATTENTION: Here too, fraudsters have adapted to the current situation and claim to be in hospital or at the doctor's and to need money for treatment or medication due to a coronavirus infection.

Another new variant: the supposed grandchild contacts the scammer via messaging service and claims to have a new number. Trust is built up via text messages - but the actual goal of the perpetrators remains the same: cash or valuables from their victims.

Unfortunately, the "fake police officer" approach is also very common. The person called is told that their property is in danger from gangs of thieves because their name is on a list of potential targets. They are immediately asked for money and valuables that they have at home. In order to protect cash, jewelry or other valuables, it is best to store everything at the "police station" and "helpful colleagues" will pick it up.

So-called shock calls are a particularly nasty scam. As the name suggests, the message is intended to put the caller in a state of shock, as people under such stress are usually unable to think clearly. This is achieved by claiming on the phone that a relative of the person called is in an acute financial emergency - for example due to alleged problems with the law - or even involved in an accident. Immediate action by paying a certain amount is absolutely necessary.
Anyone who is seriously worried about a close relative is unlikely to question the situation on the phone straight away. This is the intention of scammers who want to catch their victims off guard and get money.
However, you should be suspicious if an unknown caller describes your emergency situation on the phone and demands money. Question this information and call your relatives yourself.

Fake employees from telecommunications companies or tradesmen are also part of the fraudsters' repertoire. They turn up unannounced at the door, want to enter the home to check on connections, pipes or similar - the range of alleged reasons is wide. There is often a second perpetrator involved, who is let into the home unnoticed and searches it while the fake tradesman distracts the victim.
Calls from alleged Microsoft employees have also occurred. Be aware: did you order the tradesmen yourself? Did you request the telecoms or public utilities employee? If not, be suspicious. As a rule, reputable companies do not make unsolicited contact and do not ask for financial circumstances or account details.
You should also treat business deals at the front door or spontaneously offered services with caution.

Elderly citizens in particular, but also all those who are dazzled by the prospect of a prize, are victims of false promises of winnings by telephone. Perpetrators operating from so-called call centers, posing as lawyers or notaries, among others, claim that those called have won a cash or non-cash prize. However, the payout or transfer would depend on the alleged winners paying certain fees, taxes or other costs in advance. The perpetrators give the victims various options for payment, such as the purchase of voucher cards, such as those available at supermarket checkouts or petrol stations from various online companies, or sending the money by post as a letter or parcel. Regardless of the payment method chosen, there is no payout - there is no prize!