A mass scam has been affecting Germany since the beginning of 2022. According to
The Guardian
, fake Interpol and Europol agents have already extorted 2.5 million euros from residents in Bavaria in particular.
The procedure is always the same: an unknown number calls the phone of the person concerned.
When she picks up, she hears a pre-recorded message: “This is a call from Interpol.
We inform you that your identity card number has been misused.
For more information, please press the 1” key.
The scammers, who are said to be calling from centers based in India or Pakistan, claim that the victim's bank account has been hacked and is linked to illicit activities, such as the purchase of cocaine.
Under threat of a prison sentence
The fake agents then offer several solutions so that the victim can secure his bank account: buy an Amazon or Google Pay prepaid card, recover cryptocurrencies or install pirate software on his computer.
Of course, the scammers then disappear into the wild with the money they managed to extort.
A resident of Iserlohn (North Rhine-Westphalia) explained to the wa.de site that she had been threatened with a prison sentence if she did not comply with the instructions.
“Europol will never call you directly or ask people for money.
We are not authorized to do so, ”recalled a spokesperson for the organization.
Authorities, through the newspaper
Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung
, are asking residents to exercise caution and never give out bank details over the phone.
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