Danger! The ÖGK fraud - 2,500 euros promised!

Danger! The ÖGK fraud - 2,500 euros promised!

Österreich - Currently several institutions warn of a dangerous fraud stitch that affects numerous people in Austria. Fraudulent emails promise monthly repayments of EUR 2,499.95 from the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK). Thousands of Austrians receive such messages that do not come from the ÖGK. The emails ask the recipients to enter personal data on a linked website, whereby the link leads to a fake website that aims to steal personal information. The ÖGK has already set up a special contact point for fraud victims to counter these incidents.

Typical characteristics of this fraudulent news include that the sender address does not come from the official domain, a personal salutation with the correct name is missing and that spelling errors can often be found in the text. Those affected should delete such emails immediately and make sure that current attempts to fraud also contain fake reference numbers. In demonstrable cases, the public prosecutor's office is investigating for data creeping and data theft, while the number of unreporters of those affected is probably higher, since the perpetrators often operate abroad, which makes it difficult to prosecute. All victims are advised to file a complaint with the police if possible data loss or financial damage. Kosmo.at reports that the necessary sensitization of the population to combat this fraud stitch.

additional fraud stitches in focus

Now another critical case comes to light, in which criminals use a new trick to get sensitive data from bank customers, especially from the Consors Finanz's customers, a subsidiary of BNP Paribas. In these cases, the affected e-mails with the subject "notify the blocking of your card and your account". The message contains the request to update the "Consors Finanz Cashclik" within 48 hours in order to avoid a account lock. It also threatens that 50.99 euros will be charged for the account lock.

The consumer center has informed about this fraud stitch to sensitize customers. These new developments show that fraudsters constantly adapt and develop new methods to obtain trust and spy on data. Chip.de emphasizes how important it is to be attentive and suspicious, especially with unexpected messages. The experiences of customers in these situations can have devastating consequences, both for the financial and psychological concerns of those affected.

the general threat from cybercrime

A study published in the 2024 cyber security monitor illustrates the serious situation in Germany, where 24 % of the respondents have already become victims of cybercrime. Surprisingly, 56 % of those affected appreciate their future risk of becoming victims themselves than low or excluded. This could indicate a dangerous self -overestimation, especially among the younger respondents between the ages of 16 and 22. While 68 % of this age group assess their risk as low, 28 % were cheated on online banking.

The most common consequences of Internet fraud are a loss of trust in online services and financial damage, which illustrates the urgent need to better secure themselves. The respondents take an average of 3.9 protective measures against cybercrime. However, there is a decline in the use of these measures compared to the previous year. This raises questions about the general vigilance of Internet users and underlines the urgency of remaining informed about current attempts to fraud. BSI indicates that preventive measures and information campaigns are essential to restore trust in digital services.