Fake Amazon emails, WhatsApp forgeries and shock calls: New fraud waves 2024
The consumer centre warns of several new fraud schemes: fake Amazon emails about Prime memberships, a manipulated WhatsApp version in the Google Play Store and fraudulent hospital calls using AI.
New fraud waves in October 2024
As web.de reports, several sophisticated fraud schemes are currently increasing in the German-speaking region. The consumer centre and authorities are warning of fake messages and manipulated apps that specifically target consumers.
Phishing wave targeting Amazon Prime users
A current phishing campaign is targeting Amazon Prime members. The fraudulent emails claim that the monthly fee could not be charged. Recipients are asked to check and update their payment information via an attached link – supposedly to prevent an interruption of their membership. The criminals deliberately apply emotional pressure by threatening to suspend Prime benefits.
The consumer centre emphasises that Amazon only sends such notifications via the official app or the known website. Users should not click on links in suspicious emails. Anyone with an Amazon account can check their payment information at any time directly in their account.
Fake WhatsApp in the Google Play Store
A fraudulent version of the messaging app WhatsApp is circulating in the official Google Play Store and has already been downloaded over 500,000 times. The app comes from a developer account called "Agment Assets sallu" and copies the description and screenshots from the genuine WhatsApp page. Particularly insidious: for many users, the forgery appears prominently at the top of sponsored search results.
The fraudsters are misusing Google's "Early Access" programme, which disables public user reviews and makes detection more difficult. Experts strongly advise against installing apps from unknown sources. Before downloading, users should always check the developer name or search directly on the official website of the provider for the correct link. Anyone who has already installed the fake version should uninstall it immediately and check their device for suspicious activity.
Shock calls with hospital scheme and AI support
Criminals pose as hospital staff on the telephone. The Bavarian Hospital Society (BKG) and the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office (BLKA) are warning of this form of fraud, the so-called shock calls. The fraudsters claim that a close relative has been admitted to a clinic following an accident or due to a life-threatening illness. In the course of the conversation, they demand large sums of money, allegedly to ensure an urgently needed treatment or operation.
The perpetrators deliberately create emotional and time pressure. Through the use of artificial intelligence, such schemes are made even more credible. Eduard Fuchshuber, spokesman for the BKG, makes clear: "Hospitals never demand money by telephone from relatives to perform or continue medical treatments." Emergency treatments are carried out immediately and never made dependent on prior payments.
Anyone uncertain whether a call actually comes from a hospital should call the clinic's official telephone number and connect directly with the ward or central information desk. Those affected should report the incident to the local police station.
Fake shops for firewood and pellets in the heating season
In time for the heating season, fraudulent online shops are proliferating, enticing with cheap offers for firewood and wood pellets. The Lower Saxony consumer centre is warning of fake websites that deceive customers and take money without delivering goods. The criminals often take company data from real businesses for their fake imprint to appear legitimate.
The consumer portal Watchlist Internet lists over 25 dubious firewood suppliers. An example is the shop hdelgur.shop, which imitates the design of discount retailer Lidl and automatically redirects visitors to a different address. In practically all suspicious providers, payment is only possible in advance – a classic warning sign for fake shops.
Anyone wishing to buy firewood from an unknown dealer can check its legitimacy beforehand using the fake shop finder of the consumer centre. A simple internet search for the shop name together with terms such as "fraud" or "experiences" can quickly provide clarity.
Source: Google News DE — Crime (de)