Senior citizen saves from fraud trap: saved 12,000 euros!

Senior citizen saves from fraud trap: saved 12,000 euros!

In a supposedly harmless consumer market in Papenburg, district of Emsland, on July 18, 2025, a dangerous fraud stitch was scheduled. A senior woman wanted to purchase several Apple gift cards worth around 12,000 euros in cash. Behind this project there was probably unscrupulous fraudsters that they had lured into the trap. They asked them to buy the cards and pass the reversal codes on to get their money. But thanks to the attentive attempt at intervention by an employee of the market, greater damage could be averted. She informed the senior citizen about the common fraud stitch and advised her from the purchase.

The police have now issued a warning message and asks the senior citizen and other possible witnesses to report. It is an important concern that citizens pay attention to not high amounts of money or to pass on voucher codes to strangers. Fraudsters often come into contact with social media or messenger services and pretend to solve technical problems in order to get sensitive data. Unfortunately, these machine tricks are no longer uncommon and should be taken seriously.

fraud stitches in detail

The scammers' procedure can be very different. One of the best -known methods is to manipulate fake gift cards. In several cases, fraudsters have stolen original cards in supermarkets, copied the line codes and then glued them over the codes of other cards. These manipulated cards are then stored in the shop, while the real cards remain with the fraudsters. Buyers who unwittingly purchase these cards can be found with a worthless voucher because the money has been transferred to the original cards. A strong piece!

The Bavarian Consumer Center has advised to thoroughly check the barcode of the voucher cards before the purchase in order to identify manipulations in good time. If you suspect fraud, buyers should inform the dealer immediately and file a complaint with the police. However, the question of liability remains in space: Who is responsible if a customer falls on a manipulated voucher? So far, legal clarity has not existed, and this uncertainty could have unpleasant consequences for both the dealer and the customer.

what you should know

For those who do not yet know: Apple gift cards can only be used to buy Apple products and services. Payments for invoices, fees or other companies are expressly not allowed. This makes it clear that great caution is also required when using Apple gift cards. The redemption codes on the back of the cards should never be passed on to unknown persons, since these codes can be exploited immediately in the hands of the fraudsters.

The message is simple and important: be vigilant and find out about common fraud stitches. Especially in an increasingly digital world, such tricks can quickly be doomed. If you have any questions or suspicion of fraud, the Apple Support should be contacted in order to discuss possible measures. The police recommend reporting every suspicion immediately to save others the same.

For more information about the dangers of fraud with gift cards and protective measures, visit the articles from , Apple Support and ZDF today .