Phishing fraud in Salzburg: Four suspects reported after €55,000 loss
A 63-year-old woman from Salzburg lost over €55,000 after a phishing attack. Four suspects were identified, and only €2,600 could be refunded.
Phishing attack on Salzburg woman: Four suspects identified
Following a phishing attack resulting in damages of more than €55,000, police have identified four suspects, according to krone.at. The investigation lasted several months.
In November, a 63-year-old woman from Salzburg received an SMS ostensibly requesting renewal of her ID Austria. Shortly afterwards, a fraudulent bank employee contacted her—one who even knew the name of her genuine adviser—and persuaded the woman to confirm TAN codes. This gave the perpetrators access to her account.
Bank records showed that the majority of the money was withdrawn within a few hours. Surveillance footage at ATMs showed two heavily disguised individuals making the withdrawals. Only €2,600 could be secured by the authorities and refunded to the victim.
In the course of the investigation, authorities identified four holders of Austrian recipient accounts: a 38-year-old Armenian, a 27-year-old Slovak, a 22-year-old Austrian, and a 19-year-old Syrian. All four are being reported whilst at liberty.
Source: Google News AT — Crime (de)