Fraud on the internet - which scams criminals are currently using

Many people have been using the payment service provider "PayPal" for many years to transfer money online. The "PayPal & friends" payment method is also becoming increasingly popular and is basically only intended for payments between friends and family members - i.e. people you know well - to advance money when buying movie tickets, for example, or to collect money to split a restaurant bill or for a joint gift. The big advantage: these payments are free of charge for both parties, as they are not payments as part of a purchase.

In the meantime, however, the "PayPal & friends" option is increasingly being used for payments to strangers, for example for purchases via Ebay classifieds. What many people are not aware of: In contrast to "PayPal", there is no buyer or seller protection with this form of payment and payments made cannot be subsequently canceled. It is precisely this fact that criminals exploit: They offer goods for sale, demand payment via "PayPal & friends". But the goods are not sent after payment has been received. Your money is gone and you have no chance of canceling the payment. The Lippe police receive a large number of reports of fraud in this context every month.

The police warn: Only use the "PayPal & friends" method for private payments to people you know well and trust, and never for purchases from strangers.

Sending fraudulent links via personal messages is certainly not a new scam. Phishing links are generally referred to when they are sent by email. If this is done via SMS, it is referred to as smishing. The nature of this scam varies constantly. Criminals are constantly coming up with new "reasons" to lure recipients via messages to click on the malicious link and access their personal, sensitive data. Currently, people are increasingly reporting 3 variants of fraudulent text messages containing a smishing link:

• SMS from banks: The supposed sender of these messages is Volksbank or Sparkasse. They claim that your "Volksbank SecureGo" has expired and you need to update your data or that your access to the "Sparkassen pushTan app" will soon end and you need to verify yourself again. The text message also contains a link that you should click on.
• SMS after sales via Ebay classifieds: In this case, the sale only serves to obtain your data. Something is sold to you via the portal and you then receive a text message with a link to confirm your credit card details or a WhatsApp message with a green button (link) "Get money" - the fraudsters usually try first by text message and then by WhatsApp.
• SMS demanding customs duties: Criminals are currently frequently sending fake text messages in the name of Deutsche Post, DHL or DHL Express demanding payment of customs duties. They claim that your parcel is coming from abroad and that customs duties will be charged. The text message contains a link that should be clicked and refers you to a page where you should enter your credit card details. The presentation of the page looks very professional, so that recipients of the message do not initially suspect that this is a scam. Several people have already passed on their credit card details through this scam, and in some cases the bank was able to stop the transfer in time.

The combination of text message and short link is extremely dangerous: on a PC or laptop, the "mouseover effect" (moving the PC mouse over an element - in this case the link) can be used to check the real address of a link from an email; on a smartphone, however, this is not possible at all in a text message. This means that the destination of the link may be different from what is suggested to you.

The police urgently advise:

1. If you receive such a text message with a link, it is best to delete it immediately!
2. Never click on a link that you have received via a text message!
3. If you have already disclosed your account details, inform your bank promptly, have your credit card blocked, check your payments and have them reversed if necessary!
4. Contact your police and file a complaint!
    

"Ome TV" is an anonymous video chat that has recently gained in popularity. Millions of people have installed the app on their cell phones and tablets, and around 100,000 people use it online every day. The video chat is free and available without registration. To start chatting, all you have to do is start the chat on your device. "Ome TV" works like "Omegle TV" and "Chat Roulette" and connects users with random strangers who are also using the app. According to the provider, video chat is permitted from the age of 17. However, as with all apps, it is no secret that many younger kids also use them by specifying a higher age in order to be allowed to participate. After specifying their gender, the app's system tries to select suitable video chat partners for you. "Ome TV" also has a geographical filter that allows you to have the app search for people in your area.

The video chat app has already been the subject of several parents' evenings at schools: parents repeatedly report to our cybercrime specialists at the Crime Prevention and Victim Protection Department that their children are using the app and that there have already been incidents of sexual assault in this context. These have not always been reported to the police. Older men make contact with younger girls or boys via the app and try to obtain pornographic images of them, by asking them to undress live in a video chat (Cybergrooming = sexual abuse online).

The police warn:

1. Talk to your children about the video chat app and the dangers it poses. Cybergrooming can also occur in other apps or messenger services (e.g. "TikTok", "Snapchat", "Knuddels" and many more) if your children chat with strangers.
2. Always keep a close eye on where your child is online and spends a lot of time.
3. If your child tells you about an incident, please contact the police and file a complaint!

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A new scam involving sellers is currently appearing on the well-known online portal. The procedure: An interested person asks for an email address in order to pay for the desired product. It is then written that payment has already been made via the "Pay securely" function. In order to receive the money, they are asked to confirm an email that supposedly comes from eBay Kleinanzeigen itself. The email in question appears, so that no suspicion is aroused at first. However, if you click on the link, you are asked to verify your credit card and disclose personal data to criminals.

Although there is indeed a payment system called "Pay Securely" on eBay, sellers do not have to take any action or follow a link: Sharing sensitive information such as telephone number, bank details etc. is NOT required here.

The Lippe police also receive a large number of reports of goods fraud via eBay classifieds every day - including this new scam. Tips from the police:

• Do not click on any links sent and do not give out any personal or confidential data.
• If it is already too late: If necessary, have your card or bank account blocked immediately.
• Inform the sales portal and report it to the police.

For anyone who didn't know: The popular eBay portal has changed its name as of May 16, 2023 and will only be called "Classifieds" in future!

Many people are now also using the internet in their search for love: Scammers like to take advantage of this. Initial contact is made online via dating platforms, then people get to know each other better via social networks and private messaging services such as WhatsApp. As soon as an emotional bond and trust has been established, a request for money or other financial favors follows. The criminals often cite alleged emergency situations that they find themselves in and from which only the new partner can rescue them.

The perpetrators also suggest personal meetings, but these are usually canceled for the flimsiest of reasons - along the lines of "stall and put off".

Many people only realize late on that they have been defrauded by love scamming: The money transferred by then is usually long gone and the alleged identity of the new acquaintance is a fake profile. The amounts of money demanded vary depending on the individual case and can range from three to six-figure sums. In the last six months alone, more than 20 cases of this kind have been reported to the police in Lippe. It can be assumed that the number of unreported cases in this area is far higher, as many victims are so ashamed that they do not go to the police.
 

Police tips to protect yourself:

• Be suspicious whenever you are contacted by strangers over the internet and watch out for contradictions and flimsy explanations.
• Do not enter into any financial transactions with online acquaintances and never allow yourself to be put under emotional pressure.
• Be cautious with your personal data, because with every additional piece of information you provide, fraudsters have one more means of deceiving you or extorting money from you.
   

Beware of investment scams via social media! In alleged interviews, celebrities reveal how to get money quickly via Bitcoins. The social media articles contain links that should be clicked on. This is followed by the submission of personal data, a phone call and a request to transfer money to an unknown account abroad. A supposed trading account is then opened from this account, resulting in a "bonus".

Victims also install an app that gives the criminals access to their cell phone. This also gives them access to the creditor's personal access data.

The police recommend:

• Be extremely critical of online advertisements on the subject of investments - especially if they link to foreign sites.
• Never give out your bank PIN.
• Do not allow accounts to be created by strangers.
• Do not install remote maintenance programs for strangers on your own devices.
• If it is already too late: Report it to the police, inform your bank and check your account regularly, change access data and passwords and reset your cell phone to factory settings.

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"Deep fakes" are media content created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) that looks deceptively real. This technology is used by many app providers to manipulate content. Photos, videos or audio files are deliberately altered with the help of AI. A simple selfie image or a short voice message is often enough for this: people can then be seen or heard doing or saying things that never happened in reality. Figuratively speaking, a mask is simply put over an original material in this way.

However, what is simply a fun pastime for some also harbors a great danger: as "deep fakes" appear completely realistic and credible, there is a risk of spreading fake news or harming other people. The internet and social media platforms can be used to influence public opinion extremely quickly in this way. The people affected often only find out far too late which fake news about them is circulating online and the damage has long since been done or their reputation ruined.

Tips for unmasking "deep fakes":

• Visible transitions in movements
• Blurred outlines or fixed looks of people
• Bad lip-Synchronicity
• Inappropriate facial expressions of people
• Poor lighting of the surroundings
• Wrong emphasis of words
• Metallic sound of the voice
• Delayed reaction of voices when answering

The legal situation of "deep fakes" is often not entirely clear. Depending on the purpose for which they are used, they may constitute a criminal offense. Funny videos in which everyone involved agrees to the faces being played around with are of course harmless. However, if false information is deliberately spread by the "deep fakes" in order to harm others, this can be reported to the police. The creation of videos, images or audio files without the consent of the other person is punishable by law, as this violates personal rights.
 

Lured by supposedly lucrative investment opportunities in dubious financial products, scammers pose as professional "brokers" on social media and on the internet and promise high profits. In reality, however, these are perfidious scams in which victims are cheated out of large sums of money. The perpetrators cleverly exploit the inexperience of many people in dealing with digital financial products.

Scam process

The typical process is as follows:

The victims are lured with tempting promises of profit via advertisements (bots) on social media. They enter their contact details and are then contacted in person. Initially, contact is made by telephone, then communication continues via messenger services. The victims are contacted again and again and urged to make further payments in order to supposedly make higher profits. Payments are often made via online-only banks and services

How to protect yourself

• To protect yourself from such scams, it is important:
• Never respond to unsolicited promises of winnings on social media or over the phone.
• Do not disclose any personal data and do not make any promises over the phone
• Do not make any advance payments for alleged winnings or investments
• Report suspicious numbers and incidents to the police and the Federal Network Agency