Warning: scammers on the phone! How to protect your account in Berchtesgadener Land!

Warning: scammers on the phone! How to protect your account in Berchtesgadener Land!

Telephone scammers are currently booming in Berchtesgadener Land. The Bad Reichenhall police warn urgently against calls in which criminals pose as Sparkasse employees. The fraudsters call from the real Sparkasse Berchtesgadener Land telephone number (08651/7070) and claim that there has been an attack on the account of the person being called. They talk about missing money in the four or five figure range and offer help with the remittance. This is where things get tricky because the callers urge the victims to log into their online banking and release booking transactions using the TAN procedure. This is a scam that police are strongly labeling as misleading and fraudulent to prevent potential victims from falling for such tricks again.

Where to go if you suspect fraud? The police recommend that you hang up immediately if you receive such calls and dial 110. Those affected should not provide any information over the telephone and should go to the savings bank in person if in doubt. These warnings are no coincidence; The topic was also covered in the police's current 2024 security report for the region.

The techniques of fraudsters

But how do these scams work? The perpetrators use a variety of techniques to manipulate their victims. According to a report by SWR, these criminals use artificial intelligence to imitate voices and gain the trust of callers. This type of fraud, known as “vishing”, which combines voice and phishing, shows how perfidious and well prepared the attackers are.

An example from Stuttgart illustrates these dangers: Ralf Schorn lost a whopping 21,000 euros because he trusted a call from a supposed bank employee and responded to his demands. Fraudsters often ask you to enter passwords into your bank app in order to gain control of your accounts.

Increasing cases of fraud in Germany

The situation is made worse by the figures from the BioCatch report “Fraud trends in online banking in Germany 2025”. According to the report, Germany was the second most common target for phishing attacks in 2024, with 14% of all phishing emails coming from German territory. Germany also ranks fourth in Europe for fraud cases and has lost 267 billion euros through cybercrime. These developments are worrying and highlight the need for greater vigilance in digital banking.

The use of so-called quishing, a form of QR code phishing, is also increasing. Fraudsters use fake QR codes on parking meters or charging stations to deceive unsuspecting victims. The combination of these types of fraud makes it even more important for online banking users to be vigilant and check their account balances regularly.

In the vast majority of cases, consumers who fall victim to these scams are advised to contact the bank immediately and have their account blocked. Banks are required to offer refunds in the event of unauthorized payments, but customers must be able to prove that they were not grossly negligent. But as the SWR also reports, such evidence can often pose a challenge in practice.

Finally, all that remains to say is: be careful and suspicious of unexpected calls. Be informed and, if in doubt, act quickly. Your security in online banking should always be top priority. They provide more information on this Police reports and further tips can be found in the analyzes of SWR as well as in BioCatch report.