new scams flourish in Luxembourg

2023-04-17 12:43:25

The Grand-Ducal police warns against new methods of scams which have appeared in recent months on Luxembourg territory. All these scams have one thing in common: they aim to steal money from victims.

New phenomena of scams, linked in particular to new technologies, have been identified by the Grand Ducal police, who are calling for caution this Monday, April 17. “Existing scams are constantly evolving and adapting to new situations and new potential victims, reappearing in new guises,” the agents explain in their statement, detailing six particularly daunting new methods.

1. The grandson scam

The purpose of this fraud is to make the victim believe that he is talking to a family member in distress who needs help and especially money. Normally, this fraud is done over the phone. In a possible later handover of money, the alleged family member does not present himself personally, but sends another person.

A similar scam also exists through SMS, WhatsApp and other messaging services. In this case, a stranger pretends to be a family member (usually the child of the person he is talking to) of the potential victim and informs him that his supposed relative’s mobile phone has been stolen and that this one therefore has a new telephone number.

The victim is also prompted to call the new number or reply to the message. Then the victim is made to believe that his family member urgently needs a new mobile phone and therefore needs the money – which of course is lost in the event of a transfer.

What to do with this scam?

• Avoid too many personal details being accessible to third parties.
• Check your entry in the telephone directory (eg change Mrs. Sabine Müller to Mrs. S. Müller).
• Ask specific questions of your interlocutor to verify his story.
• Ask him for his phone number and check it.
• If in doubt, hang up.
• Do not decide anything spontaneously.
• If you receive or have received such a call, we ask that you immediately notify the Police and do not respond in any way to the demands of the perpetrators.

2. The “fake quality at home” scam

In this scam, scammers try to gain access to your home under various pretexts in order to then steal money from you. They can pose as craftsmen, delivery people or even, in some cases, police officers. They can be very convincing and/or exert such pressure on their victims that they give in to their demands.

What to do with this scam?

• Always verify the identity of your correspondent. Refrain from talking to strangers who try to sell you goods or services that you don’t need.
• Do not allow anyone to enter your home unless you have instructed them.
• Take the time to think! The more insistent the seller, the more suspicious the case becomes.
• As a rule, couriers do not ask you to pay charges by credit card.
• In addition, the delivery people never ask you to access your house.
• If unwanted people are not deterred, notify the police immediately.

Check the outfit, ask the supposed policeman for the service card, if you’re not sure. Note that any police officer in Luxembourg is fluent in Luxembourgish and can identify himself. If in doubt, please contact the emergency number 113

Since the elderly are a favorite target of this form of scam, the Grand Ducal police also advise informing and raising awareness among the people concerned in your entourage.

3. Shock Phone Calls

Under the pretext that there has been a serious accident involving a close family member, the victims called are usually asked, in German, to post bail.

Only then could family members in detention be released. During the calls, the alleged victims are put under such pressure that they finally agree to hand over their valuables, such as jewelry or cash.

The perpetrators claim to be police officers, public prosecutors or relatives. A special technique also makes it possible to display fake phone numbers on the victim’s phone. The loot is then collected by alleged court employees or police officers from the victim’s home or a prearranged location.

In this context, the police would like to point out that this practice of posting a bond is not used in Luxembourg. The police or other services do not ask you over the phone to give them cash or valuables, nor do they pick them up from your home.

What to do with this scam?

• Avoid too many personal details being accessible to third parties.
• Ask your phone company to shorten or remove your first name from the phone book. This will make it harder for scammers to find you.
• Ask specific questions of your interlocutor to verify his story.
• Ask him for his phone number and check it.
• If in doubt, hang up.
• Do not decide anything spontaneously.
• Do not disclose any information about your assets.
• If you receive or have received such a call, we urge you to notify the police immediately and do not respond to the perpetrators’ demands in any way.
• We also remind you that the Luxembourg police always speak Luxembourgish.
• If in doubt about the credibility of a person posing as a police officer, do not hesitate to contact a police department.

What behaviors to adopt in the face of these scams?

As criminals keep coming up with new scams, it’s important to observe some basic behaviors, police say:

• Since the elderly are often the preferred targets of scams, also consider raising awareness among potentially vulnerable people around you.
• Never make a decision under pressure. If you are threatened or pressured in any other way, notify the police immediately.
• If you have any doubts, contact the company, administration or bank that allegedly contacted you. These organizations will be able to confirm that this is indeed an official procedure. The same goes for messages: if the origin of a message is unclear or if you have any doubts, do not hesitate to contact the respective organization.
• Generally exercise some caution.

In any case, if you have suffered damage as a result of a scam, file a complaint with a police station of your choice. Even if you don’t think it’s necessary, your information may be useful for future investigations and help protect other potential victims of this type of scam.

More information on the “new scams” ​​on the website of the Grand Ducal Police.