WhatsApp: With this scam, scammers get more than 1000 euros

WhatsApp is often used by criminals to trick you into stealing your money. Fake raffles and the famous grandchild trick are particularly popular. In southern Germany, fraudsters are currently using a similar scam.

They use Messenger to impersonate family members and claim to have a new number. Apparently the old phone was broken. Under various pretexts, the scammers then bid for money and demand four-figure amounts. As nordbayern.de reported, in the Forchheim region, a 69-year-old man and a 32-year-old man have already been victims of the scam.

From Police press portal shows that the criminals also struck in the Hessian district of Hersfeld-Rotenburg. The Bamberg police and the Eastern Hesse police headquarters are investigating these cases. The authorities expressly warn against cheating. Here are some tips to keep in mind to protect yourself:

• If you are contacted by relatives on an unknown number, first try to reach them on the number you know.
• Do not save the unknown number under an existing contact.
• Beware if someone asks you for money on WhatsApp.
• Do not delete the chat history, it can be used as evidence.
• Contact the police if you suspect or are unsure.
• If you have already transferred money, contact your bank immediately.

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