Whether by phone or at the front door, fraudsters try to get their victims' money and valuables in a variety of ways and forms. Senior citizens in particular are often the target of the perpetrators.
According to the LKA, the "grandchild trick" and "fake policeman" scams alone caused damage of more than 39 million euros to senior citizens in North Rhine-Westphalia between 2017 and 2019.
As part of the "Safe in old age" campaign, the State Criminal Police Office of North Rhine-Westphalia provides information material, which you can find in the download area.
Your contact in the event of fraud against senior citizens at the police in the Rhine district of Neuss is Criminal Chief Inspector Christoph Kaiser.
Helpful information can also be found in the brochure "Smarter against fraudsters".
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!
The perpetrators usually speak German. They are eloquent, unscrupulous and exert massive pressure on their victims. To increase their own credibility, the fraudsters sometimes deliberately manipulate their own phone number, which appears on the victim's phone display. This is technically possible using software and is called "call ID spoofing".
The methods are very different, but in all cases the fraudsters only want one thing: to get money and valuables from the people they call.
As these attempts unfortunately occur again and again, the police advise:
- Be suspicious if someone does not introduce themselves by name! Offenders often search for older-sounding names in the telephone directory and start their conversation as a supposed grandchild with "Guess who's here..."
- Under no circumstances should you agree to demands for money and hang up. Call the person in question on the number you know, this will quickly clarify any doubts.
- Dial the number yourself when calling. Make sure that the previous call has actually ended! Only if you have actually hung up can you start a new call and not remain unnoticed on the previous line.
- Do not believe promises of prizes over the phone - especially if the redemption of the prize is subject to conditions! Do not make any advance payments on promised prizes - a reputable company will never make the prize payout dependent on an advance payment. Do not allow yourself to be put under pressure on the phone - notaries, employees of reputable companies or members of German law enforcement agencies would never coerce or harass you on the phone to transfer money!
- The police will never ask you on the phone where valuables and/or cash are kept, nor will they ask for personal details for comparison. If a caller pretends to be a police officer and claims that your name is on a dubious list, be skeptical and end the call.
- Be generally suspicious when strangers ask about your financial situation.
- Don't just let strangers into your home! Always look through the peephole or window first to see who is there.
- When dealing with public officials, ask to see their ID and call the authorities yourself if necessary. Look up the number yourself.
- Do not allow yourself to be put under pressure on the phone. Authorities and offices that contact you will never put you under such time pressure and demand money.
- In all cases: inform the real police if you think a call is suspicious or if you have been the victim of a scam, either by calling 02131 300-0 or the emergency number 110.
Even if you are uncomfortable with the fact that you have already been a victim: Do not hesitate to contact the police! Fraudsters - in whatever role - are very clever, take their victims by surprise and make them feel insecure.
By making a statement, you may be able to help track down the perpetrators.
Further information and information material for download can also be found here.
Helpful tips on the individual cases can be found at the following link:
https://www.polizei-beratung.de/themen-und-tipps/
+++Tips for cab drivers:
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for fraudsters to order a cab for their victim to drive them to the bank or pick them up there. Sometimes the cab driver finds something strange about the behavior of an elderly passenger or the way the cab was requested. And they ask - this can also prevent fraud, as a case from the Rhine district of Neuss shows.
Don't look away if you have the impression that something is wrong! Here are a few helpful tips and hints for cab drivers: