DeutschWhile cryptocurrencies were supposed to restore people’s financial freedom, they unfortunately also brought new fraud schemes into the financial sector. Recently, Bitcoin & Co. have increasingly come into focus due to their susceptibility to all types of crime. In addition to numerous incidents of money laundering and crypto fraud by larger companies, including “OneCoin” or “Thodex“, a curious case in Turkey also recently came to light.
Currently, crypto fraudsters are rampant in Germany, specifically targeting elderly citizens, as announced by the police in North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Baden-Württemberg via press releases within a few weeks.
North Rhine-Westphalia: Pensioner (79) Transfers 38,000 Euros to Crypto Fraudsters
Already on Thursday (November 17), a 79-year-old from Bergisch Gladbach (North Rhine-Westphalia) reported to the police and filed a complaint for investment fraud. Due to an online advertisement that apparently promised high returns, the pensioner had already transferred an initial investment of 250 euros in September.
After the transfer, a financial advisor contacted the senior citizen online to install a so-called “trading software” – but via remote access. According to the fraudsters, this was the only way to process cryptocurrency investment transactions for the gentleman.
The trick: Due to legal requirements, the senior citizen would first have to transfer a sum of 5,000 euros, which he would then immediately receive back, including the initial capital. Due to increasing pressure and false profit promises from the alleged financial advisor, the 79-year-old was eventually deceived. In the further course, he allegedly transferred a staggering 38,000 euros to the account specified by the fraudsters, as reported by the police.
Rhineland-Palatinate: Pensioner (67) Relieved of 40,000 Euros by Bitcoin Fraud
In Rhineland-Palatinate, a pensioner (67) also lost an almost similar sum at the end of November due to Bitcoin fraud. The senior citizen noticed an advertisement for Bitcoin investment on “Instagram.” This piqued his interest, and he contacted the alleged consulting firm. Convinced by the whole story, he transferred a hefty 40,000 euros to a foreign account after making contact.
When he subsequently tried to check his supposed balance online, the amount was displayed in foreign currency, more precisely in Chilean Pesos. He then actually transferred another 30,000 euros to the foreign account, at which point the crypto fraud was discovered. While there was considerable luck with the second transfer of 30,000 euros, which could be reversed by the bank, this was not the case with the larger initial booking. The 40,000 euros could no longer be saved.
Baden-Württemberg: Pensioner (67) Recognizes Crypto Fraud at the Last Moment
Just last week, another pensioner (67) – this time from Baden-Württemberg – almost fell for a seemingly lucrative investment offer. He had noticed an advertising banner on the internet that promised a share in the profits of a large online retailer. Fascinated by the idea, he dialed the Austrian phone number provided there. He was told on the phone that he could participate using Bitcoin.
To do this, however, he would have to grant his counterpart remote access to his private computer, as instructed. Initially, he revealed his TAN numbers for two online banking transfers totaling several hundred euros. However, when the man watched as the account limit was increased and several thousand euros were about to be transferred, he became suspicious. He finally recognized the crypto fraud and immediately disconnected the connection.
Police Urgently Warn Against Crypto Fraud
The police in Germany are once again urgently warning against this fraud scheme. According to them, cybercriminals create fraudulent investment platforms for online investments on the internet to acquire potential victims. At first glance, these platforms usually look reputable. But the procedure is essentially always the same: After the interested customer has registered on a platform for Bitcoin trading, they are contacted by cybercriminals, who often operate from call centers, and intensively supported and advised via phone, messenger, or email.
“Be suspicious! Unusually high profits with little effort should always make you suspicious. Also, inform yourself about the platforms you use before registering or transferring money. Do not share sensitive data with unknown persons. If you have become a victim, file a complaint with your local police station. Think carefully about investments!”, the police concluded. (mck)
