German Police Warn About New Fraud Scheme
Hamburg police report a rise in scams where criminals pose as phone company workers to steal bank cards and PIN numbers.
Police in Hamburg have issued a warning about a new wave of fraud, where suspects claim to be employees of a telephone company to gain entry into homes. Once inside, they pretend to check technical equipment and use a fake card device to trick residents into revealing their bank card PIN numbers. The scammers then secretly swap the real bank card, taking it and the PIN information, while leaving a worthless fake card behind.
According to data released by the State Criminal Police Office (Landeskriminalamt), roughly thirty incidents have occurred in Hamburg since April. The fraudsters often work in pairs and ask for a small repair fee, typically five euros, to appear legitimate. During a staged failed transaction, they return a decoy card to the victim, keeping the genuine card and PIN. After leaving under the pretense of retrieving payment, the suspects use the stolen cards to withdraw cash or make purchases, never returning to the victim’s home.
Police urge residents not to share their bank card or PIN information and to only allow service workers inside after verifying both their ID and company badge. Authorities also recommend contacting the relevant company or police for confirmation if there are any doubts, and seeking help from neighbors for added security at the door. The financial damage from this scam across the city has reached a medium five-figure sum.
