Call for fraud via WhatsApp: Two Dutch people in court!

Call for fraud via WhatsApp: Two Dutch people in court!

In a shocking fraud case, two men from the Netherlands, aged 20 and 24, face the consequences of their actions at the Vienna Regional Court for serious fraud and membership in a criminal organization. Between May 13 and 15, 2024, over 16,524 WhatsApp messages were sent out posing as cries for help from their victims' children. A Viennese woman fell victim to the perfidious “daughter trick” and transferred 5,519.88 euros in three tranches to an account that belonged to the suspects. Complicating matters, there were allegations that the men were in contact with their clients via the messaging service Telegram and received clear instructions. Despite their criminal activities, the defendants appeared remorseful in court and justified their actions with drug addiction and the search for “quick money”. today.at reported. The court imposed an 18-month prison sentence on the first defendant, of which 12 months are conditional, while the second defendant must serve 21 months, of which 14 months are conditional.

Fraudulent withdrawal of money in Trier

At the same time, a similar incident occurred in downtown Trier, where a fraudster approached two men in an emergency situation. In this case, he pretended to urgently need 1,000 euros and convinced them to pay him the money after he allegedly arranged a transfer to their accounts. How SWR reported, it later emerged that the transfer had never taken place. Because the scammer thanked one of the men with a drink after the failed mission, he left them with a feeling of trust even though they were ultimately scammed.

The police in Trier continue to warn against such scams and recommend that you always be skeptical about third-party demands for money. In both cases, immediate past events and the legal actions that followed are central to raising public awareness of these increasingly common fraud attempts.