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Recognising signs of fraud

Urgency, secrecy and extra payments before a promised withdrawal are recurring warning signs. A single feature does not replace examination of the facts.

General information. The legal assessment depends on the circumstances of each case.

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  • Circumstances

    Clarify the context

  • Evidence

    Preserve documents

  • Deadlines

    Explain any urgency

  • Approach

    Discuss the next steps

Fraud patterns

Six patterns and their warning signs

Each pattern includes typical warning signs and initial steps. Which apply to your case depends on the circumstances.

  • Forged payment requests by email

    Forged payment requests by email

    Genuine invoices are intercepted and resent with an altered bank account. The amount, the service and the layout match – only the IBAN does not.

    Warning signs

    • The bank details differ from earlier invoices from the same supplier
    • The change is explained as a bank switch or an account change
    • The message arrives in an ongoing email thread, but from a minimally altered address
    • The payment deadline and the sense of urgency are shorter than usual

    First steps

    • Have the payment stopped and instruct your own bank to issue a recall
    • Suspend further payments to the same account
    • Export the email in the original, including technical headers
    • Check whether further transactions with an altered IBAN are affected
    Report a message
  • Investment scam via social networks

    Investment scam via social networks

    Contact via social networks, personal handling by messenger, a dashboard showing rising profits – and conditions as soon as a payout is requested.

    Warning signs

    • The first payout is made conditional on a tax, fee or verification payment
    • Support is handled via a private messenger rather than the platform
    • Deposits go to accounts with a mismatched account holder or changing banks
    • Supervisory particulars cannot be confirmed with the authority itself

    First steps

    • Make no further payments, not even for alleged fees
    • Instruct the bank or payment service provider to recall the payment
    • Preserve chat histories, profiles and transaction IDs in full
    • Have the legal position examined in order to preserve time limits
    Report a message
  • CEO fraud – misuse of managing-director identities

    CEO fraud – misuse of managing-director identities

    The accounts department receives an urgent, confidential payment instruction that appears to come from management. What is attacked is the approval process, not the IT.

    Warning signs

    • Urgency combined with a request for confidentiality
    • An instruction outside the usual approval path, often just before the weekend
    • Follow-up questions are to be put only via the contact details given in the message
    • Recipient account abroad or a first-time recipient

    First steps

    • Call back on an independently recorded number, never using details from the message
    • Have the payment stopped and inform the recipient bank
    • Check access to the affected mailbox
    • Check insurance cover and prepare a criminal complaint
    Report a message
  • Phishing in the name of banks and companies

    Phishing in the name of banks and companies

    Linguistically flawless messages with a plausible occasion – a blocked payment, an expiring verification, a new security procedure – and a prescribed path to approval.

    Warning signs

    • A request for an approval whose wording does not match the transaction described
    • A change of medium: the email announces a call, the call refers to an app approval
    • A request for a TAN, PIN or login details – something institutions never ask for
    • A request to transfer money to another account for safekeeping

    First steps

    • Inform the bank via the official blocking number and lock access
    • Change passwords from a different device
    • Preserve the message, sender address, headers and telephone numbers
    • Have it examined whether an authorised or an unauthorised payment is involved
    Report a message
  • Romance scam followed by an investment offer

    Romance scam followed by an investment offer

    A relationship built up over weeks leads into a joint investment. The pattern is standardised, even if it feels personal.

    Warning signs

    • In-person meetings fall through at short notice with changing explanations
    • Profile pictures reappear under other names
    • The first request for money is small and is presented as a loan
    • The move to an investment platform comes on the contact person's recommendation

    First steps

    • Make no further payments and end contact, but keep a record
    • Preserve profiles, chats, telephone numbers and payment receipts
    • Have recovery routes examined according to the means of payment
    • Prepare a criminal complaint – often several victims are affected
    Report a message
  • Fake shops that accept only advance payment

    Fake shops that accept only advance payment

    Replica shops with a complete range and prices well below the average. Payment methods that attract buyer protection disappear at the last checkout step.

    Warning signs

    • At checkout, only advance payment remains
    • Company-register details in the legal notice cannot be confirmed
    • The domain is only a few weeks old
    • Quality seals are inserted as images and cannot be verified

    First steps

    • Instruct the bank to recall the payment
    • Preserve the order confirmation, shop pages and correspondence
    • File a criminal complaint
    • Inform the payment service provider about the incident
    Report a message

Received a suspicious message?

Tell us about suspicious emails, phone calls or websites. Please do not send confidential documents with your initial enquiry.

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An enquiry does not establish a client relationship or responsibility for monitoring deadlines. If a deadline is approaching, do not rely on this form alone.

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An enquiry does not establish a client relationship or responsibility for monitoring deadlines. If a deadline is approaching, do not rely on this form alone.

Make an enquiryOpen the client portal
  • General information. The legal assessment depends on the circumstances of each case.

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