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Fraud in the district: How criminals strike with fake PayPal links
Ludwigslust police warn of fraud: Fake PayPal links and QR codes steal over 3,000 euros from victims.
Fraud in the district: How criminals strike with fake PayPal links
In the last few days, several cases of fraud have been reported in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, which were triggered by dubious PayPal offers on online sales platforms. Loud news.de Unknown perpetrators have used fake PayPal links and QR codes to scam unsuspecting buyers out of their money. In three cases, the unauthorized debits add up to over 3,000 euros.
The fraudsters took a very perfidious approach: the victims had offered items for sale and then received offers from suspected buyers who offered to pay via PayPal. To confirm the transactions, affected sellers were given links or QR codes that they followed without questioning the risks. According to police reports, the victims were subsequently confronted with a surprising reality - unauthorized payments made without their consent.
Warning and preventive measures
Police recommend being careful in such situations. Anyone who comes across a payment request should think critically and not simply follow links and QR codes. Instead, it is advisable to open your own PayPal app directly and log in there to avoid such scams. In the event of suspicious activity, those affected should not only notify PayPal support, but also their bank in order to stop possible debits. These preventive measures could prevent some consumers from falling into the fraud trap.
In addition, the experts from the Lower Saxony Consumer Center provide information about the quishing method, in which fake QR codes are used to steal personal data and payment information. So it's important to know that there is an increased risk of fake QR codes at large events, such as the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Scammers often use similar domains to deceive unsuspecting Internet users and obtain their credit card information, such as consumerzentrale-niedersachsen.de reported.
How do I protect myself?
To protect yourself from quishing scams, experts recommend the following security measures:
- Überprüfen Sie immer die URL vor dem Scannen eines QR-Codes.
- Nutzen Sie QR-Code-Scanner mit URL-Vorschau, um zu sehen, wohin Sie geleitet werden.
- Geben Sie die URL manuell in den Browser ein, anstatt den Code zu scannen.
- Achten Sie auf SSL-Zertifikate – sichere Seiten beginnen mit „https“.
- Verwenden Sie Tools wie F-Secure Link Checker zur Überprüfung von Links.
- Schauen Sie sich die Bewertungen von Online-Shops auf Plattformen wie Trustpilot an.
Cybercriminals often use the familiarity that users have with digital platforms to obtain sensitive data. Stay vigilant and check the origin of the domains critically so that you do not become a victim of such scams, describes security-insider.de.
In this digital world, it is more important than ever to take care of yourself and stay informed about current types of fraud. After all, your own money and data are valuable and must be well protected.