Police warn on a new fraud method, in which criminals create false accounts on WhatsApp or other messaging applications, use the photo and name of a real person, but with a different phone number, and contact their family or friends to urgently ask for money.
At Giurgiu, several cases reported/photo: Archive
“Lately, at the level of the Criminal Investigation Service within the Giurgiu County Police Inspectorate, more and more cases of fraud in the online environment have been reported, through which unknown persons create false accounts on the WhatsApp application or other messaging applications.
To seem credible, the scammers use the photograph of the photograph and the name of a real person in the profile photo created, but they are associated with a different phone number. Subsequently, from that telephone number contacts friends or relatives of the person whose identity they claim and, under the pretext of an emergency, requests money to bank accounts communicated by them.”, Informs, on Wednesday, the representatives of the Giurgiu County Police.
This type of fraud is based on confidence in friends and family.
Therefore, the police urge those who are asked for money through WhatsApp to be cautious and to carefully check the identity of those who contact them.
“Check the identity before sending the money – do not rely on writing discussions, even if the criminals claim, using reasons that seem serious or credible, that they are unable to communicate by voice!
Contact the number that approached or call directly on the person's real number – a number you know in advance, or contact a person close to it to check the claimed situation – these checks take a maximum of 2-3 minutes and can help you become victims and lose amounts of money.
Do not transfer money to accounts communicated by messaging applications, without additional confirmation from the person, after a direct communication”, Are the recommendations of the police.
Police officers point out that messages like “send quickly“Or”don't tell anyone“There are clear signals of deception.
In addition, the police recommend the population not to distribute photos or personal data publicly or to strangers, as their image can be used to create false accounts.
