Düsseldorf – It is a nasty rip-off scam that is becoming more and more widespread: Internet scoundrels secretly change company entries on Google. Usually “only” a mobile number is entered, which is then used to tap paying customers. That’s what happened to Sascha Moch (41) from Düsseldorf.
“Shortly before Christmas, a colleague informed me about my changed company entry on Google,” says the master electrician from Hassels. “He noticed that because it happened to him shortly before.”
The scam: For existing companies, a third-party phone number is entered – often it is the same fake number
Moch dialed the 0157 number registered under his company. “There was a man’s voice. I asked if I would speak to the Gilbers company. He denied that, allegedly my company had no capacities and switched a call forwarding”, said the real electrician about the conversation with the wrong one.
Fraudsters charge extortionate prices
Particularly annoying: the alleged electrician demanded overpriced fantasy prices. Master electrician Moch immediately reported the incident to the police.
A police spokesman for BILD: “We are investigating suspected data changes under paragraph 303a. The criminal assessment is not yet complete.”
It is unclear how high the damage actually is – and who entered the rip-off mobile number.
With a lot of effort, Moch managed to get Google to delete the number. And warned many colleagues in and around Düsseldorf, where the rip-off number was also registered. The Electrical Guild Düsseldorf also urgently advises its members to check their own data on the Internet.
How to spot cheat posts
► How do I protect myself as a customer from the nasty scam with the wrong mobile number entries? It is safest to use a landline number (pay attention to the area code). In principle, it is advisable not to call directly via the search engine, but to go via the company website.
Be careful with high flat rates – this is unusual for reputable craftsmen, the repair costs come on top of that.
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